Texas QBs lead Alabama, Ole Miss into today’s showdown

October 10, 2009

By Ken Rogers

Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy is a fan of Jevan Snead. Just not today.

The Texas quarterbacks collide today when McElroy’s Crimson Tide plays Snead’s Ole Miss Rebels on national television.

“I knew Jevan in high school. We played seven-on-seven together,” McElroy said. “He was at the Manning camp, too, as well, so I spent some time with him there.”

Snead is from Stephenville, Texas; McElroy from Southlake.

Snead played at Texas in the 2006 season but transferred to Ole Miss. McElroy originally committed to Texas Tech, but changed his mind and signed with Alabama.

“I haven’t talked to him. It’s a busy time for both of us,” McElroy said this week. “But I do keep up with him. I keep up with his performances. And I’m always cheering for him.

“All the Texas guys, I want to see do well. Jevan’s obviously one of those guys. I’ve followed his career, starting at Texas and now obviously at Ole Miss. And I’m happy that he’s had a lot of success up to this point. After this game he’ll be a guy I pull for for the rest of the year.”

Both quarterbacks will be marked men in this game. In four games, Snead has completed 54 of 105 passes for 728 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions.

McElroy has completed 78 of 119 passes for 1,086 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception in five games.

“He’s a good guy and I forward to playing him,” Snead said about McElroy.

The seven-on-seven tournament in which they went head to head in high school was a while ago. The memory can play tricks. Southlake Carroll won, McElroy was sure of that.

“I believe I had to leave at halftime or else we would have beaten them I’m sure,” Snead said, laughing.

Of course, Snead said McElroy has his T-shirt from the Manning Passing Academy that the quarterbacks attended this summer.

“I need to get that back. It made its way into his bag somehow,” Snead said.

“I put my stuff down by his bag, and he wanted an Ole Miss shirt for some reason.”

Both quarterbacks would gladly trade a T-shirt for a victory today.