What about JuCo? What about as the #2 guy behind what is commonly excepted as the best college football player of all time? What about still getting PT as a true freshman against SEC defenses?
Same thing applies. JUCO isn't HS, and it isn't college, or SEC. Its somewhere in between. Sure, alot of good HS players go JUCO, and there is some good talent littered throughout the JUCO ranks. Some JUCOs in the southeast receive a good dose of players from SEC teams that just can't make the grades, therefore making them good. However, not all JUCOs are that well off and offer an equal level of competition to those more loaded JUCO teams. Some of them aren't in the "feeder pattern" of SEC schools like others, so its not like you have SEC-caliber players going against SEC-caliber players every play. There is still a level of adjustment that they will have to go through transitioning from JUCO to college/SEC. Quick question. Who was the last JUCO QB to lead an SEC team to an SEC Championship. To lead a team to a national championship? Its just not as simple as "Oh, he's a JUCO QB, and he was Tebow's backup a few years back, so he will be fine." I understand that most first year starters don't do as well as McElroy has either, but I would say he is the exception, not the rule. And its not like he's all-world, for that matter.
And if you are hanging your hat on your whole "well, since he was #2 to Tebow, he's legit" argument, then thats a pretty loose peg to depend on. If you think that UF's QB recruiting hasn't suffered because of Tebow, you are mistaken. What makes you think that, while Tebow was there, UF was going to land a truly elite QB that could go start anywhere in the country and be a worldbeater, but instead would rather sit behind Tebow for 3-4 years? Think about that. Right now, they have Brantley behind Tebow, who aside from throwing 11 passes against The Citadel, has only thrown 3-4 passes in 5 games this season. Behind Brantley next season? A guy who will be a true sophomore, and a true freshman. Thats it. They have one 3* QB signed for the 2010 class at this point. I'm not saying that just because he's the backup, that he's shitty. Obviously UF wanted him for a reason. But consider the fact that the majority of QBs can't hack it, and then figure in that SOMEBODY had to be the backup. On the other hand, he may be every bit of legit. Nobody knows, because he's played all of like 3 snaps of actual college ball.
Alabama got damn lucky, and McElroy turned out to be good, and just happened to have alot of great athletes surrounding him to make it work. We actually got an upgrade from our QB last season, for the most part anyways. You don't see that happening much with first year starting QBs.