Greg McElroy Named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year
12/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 8, 2010
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama senior quarterback Greg McElroy was named the Southeastern Conference's Scholar-Athlete and the Crimson Tide had 10 players represented on the Associated Press and league coaches' All-SEC teams.
McElroy, a native of Southlake, Texas, is 23-3 as a starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide. He was named the 2010 ESPN Academic All-American of the Year. McElroy graduated in three years with a degree in business marketing and is finishing his graduate degree in sports administration this fall. He completed his undergraduate work with a 3.83 GPA and has a 4.0 in graduate school.
McElroy was a National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete, receiving an $18,000 scholarship from the NFF and becoming a finalist for the William V. Campbell Award. He was also a finalist for a Rhodes Scholarship and is a four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. He was named one of Sporting News' "20 Smartest Athletes," and selected as Alabama's Outstanding Undergraduate Student in marketing while earning the Marketing Senior Gold Certificate.
The Crimson Tide had five players garner first-team All-SEC honors on either the AP or coaches' team. Wide receiver Julio Jones and safety Mark Barron were named to the first team for both while left tackle James Carpenter and defensive lineman Marcell Dareus were first-team selections by the league coaches. Right guard Barrett Jones was a first-team choice by the Associated Press.
Julio Jones produced the best season for a wide receiver in school history with 75 receptions for 1,084 yards and seven receiving touchdowns. He also rushed for 99 yards on six carries and one touchdown.
Barron was Alabama's unquestioned leader in the secondary with a team-high 75 tackles. He did a little of everything for the Tide defense with three tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions, six pass breakups and a forced fumble.
Barrett Jones and Carpenter anchored the Crimson Tide offensive front, helping UA average 435.6 yards per game on offense and 6.86 yards per play, the second-best mark in school history. Dareus required double teams on almost every play from opposing offenses while tallying 31 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four pass breakups and seven quarterback hurries in just 10 games.
Mark Ingram, the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner, headlined the second teams that also included center William Vlachos (coaches), running back Trent Richardson (coaches as both return specialist and all-purpose), linebacker Dont'a Hightower (AP and coaches)and safety Robert Lester (AP and coaches). Dareus (AP), Barrett Jones (coaches) and Carpenter (AP) were also selected to the second team.
