Croyle Beat Out Top Competition

Earlier this year, ’BAMA Magazine continued a long tradition of having its readers select the Alabama Team of the Decade. The team was previously announced, but this summer we are revisiting and taking a deeper look at those selected. Linebacker Rolando McClain was the Player of the Decade.

Readers of ’BAMA Magazine had the opportunity to select one quarterback when they chose the Alabama football Team of the Decade for the first ten years of the New Millennium (2000-2009). The one selected was Brodie Croyle, who played for the Crimson Tide 2002-05. He came to Bama from Rainbow City.

As long as football coaches have discussed the importance of positions, the quarterback spot has been considered that “most important player.” It was no surprise that voting was closest for the quarterback on the Team of the Decade.

The candidates included Croyle’s successor (and the man who broke virtually every Alabama passing record), John Parker Wilson; Wilson’s successor, Greg McElroy, who led Alabama to the National Championship with an undefeated season; Tyler Watts; and Andrew Zow.

Croyle finished his Alabama career on a high note, In his final game at quarterback in the 2006 Cotton Bowl win over Texas Tech, Croyle was named Most Valuable Player. He completed 19 of 31 passes for 275 yards and Bama’s only touchdown (a short pass that Keith Brown turned into a 76-yard score on the second play of the game) in the 13-10 win.

When Croyle’s career ended, he was the Crimson Tide’s record-holder in almost every passing and total offense statistic.

He completed 488 passes for 6,382 yards and 41 touchdowns, which were all Bama records. He passed for over 1,000 yards as a freshman back-up, then for 2,303 as a sophomore. He was injured in the third game of his junior year and had only 534 yards passing, then finished his career with 2,499 yards as a senior.

He also set Tide records for total offense yardage at 6,205. He had a streak of 190 passes without an interception.

As a senior he was a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Award and a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award.

Croyle now plays for the Kansas City Chiefs.

He is the son of former Tide defensive end John Croyle.

Editor’s Note: This is one in a series on members of the Alabama Team of the Decade.