Wilson's confidence is back after strong A-Day outing

TUSCALOOSA - John Parker Wilson strutted into the postgame press conference exuding the confidence coach Nick Saban had just described.

"Let's do it," said Wilson, his shoulder pads still strapped on under his black non-contact jersey.

The senior-to-be quarterback had just thrown for 265 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in a 17-for-34 outing to lead the Crimson team and its first-string offense to a 24-14 win against the White team and its first-string defense Saturday in Alabama's A-Day spring scrimmage.

The performance earned Wilson, who started the game with three-straight incomplete passes during a three-and-out series, the praise of his teammates and coach. It also checked off one spring objective for Saban, who said the main goals of Saturday's scrimmage were to establish a sense of comfort at quarterback and confidence in the receiving corps.

"John Parker has really had a good spring," Saban said. "He's demonstrated a lot of maturity. I think he understands. (He's) making business decisions all the time at his position. He's a great competitor."

Saban also said he thinks Wilson feels more comfortable in the Crimson Tide's offense, under new offensive coordinator Jim McElwain, which Saban described as "a little more quarterback friendly."

"We do some things different that I think allow for easier completions," said Wilson, who described this spring season as the best he's experienced at Alabama. "We're not always taking shots downfield.

"I like it. I feel very comfortable with the protection, all the pass routes and everything. We'll continue to install and get more advanced."

Following a three-and-out on his opening series, Wilson's squad trailed Greg McElroy's White team 7-0 after a 28-yard touchdown pass from the sophomore quarterback to Darius Hanks.

"There were some occasions today when he really could have gotten upset and frustrated with some drops, especially early on," Saban said, complementing Wilson's patience with an inexperienced receiving corps. "But he just kept doing his job and eventually guys made plays, and eventually we made plays offensively, and I think that's a sign of maturity in itself."

The Crimson responded with a 42-yard drive capped with a Leigh Tiffin field goal and took the lead for good, at 10-7 in the second quarter, with a six-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Earl Alexander.

"Once we started clicking, it felt good, I felt good about everything," Wilson said. "It started with little dink-and-dunk passes underneath and took off from there. Guys started making plays."

Junior Mike McCoy proved to be Wilson's favorite target, totaling 101 yards on six receptions. Hanks caught four passes for 102 yards and a score to lead the White team. McElroy finished 12-for-26 with 196 yards and a touchdown.

One of Wilson's "business decisions" reaped dividends in the fourth quarter, when Wilson, facing a third-and-15 situation from his own 25, checked down to find sophomore running back Terry Grant in the flat.

Grant reeled in the short pass and burst down the sideline, outrunning linebacker Jennings Hester and everyone else on the field for a 75-yard touchdown reception.

"I just leaped out into the flat, and Mike McCoy made a heck of a block to spring me on the sideline," Grant said. "(Wilson's) been doing a good a job. He makes good decisions all the time. Sometimes, they just aren't the right one. But he makes good decisions for us as a team, and we're going to stand by him."

Bryan App can be reached at 740-5730 or bryan.app@timesdaily.com.