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Franchione mum on QB 11/27/01 STEVE KIRK News staff writer TUSCALOOSA The University of Alabama's starting quarterback won't be determined solely by Tyler Watts' health anymore. "Andrew (Zow)'s performance has to be a factor now," first-year Crimson Tide head coach Dennis Franchione said Monday, referring to the fifth-year senior's 22-for-29 passing performance in a 31-7 victory over Auburn on Nov.17. Before the Auburn game, Franchione said Watts would start if he was 100 percent healthy. But that is not the case going into a 6 p.m. Thursday kickoff between the Tide (5-5) and Southern Mississippi (6-3) at Legion Field. Watts, a junior, started the first nine games of the season but hasn't played since pulling a groin muscle in the first quarter of the Mississippi State game Nov.10. Franchione didn't reveal his starter Monday, but he did defend his decision-making concerning a quarterback debate that has surrounded this team for three years. "Early in the year Tyler understood the offense far better than Andrew," Franchione said. "Andrew has said that and been open about it. And it's true. Tyler always knew where to throw the ball, and he's comprehended the details and nuances of this offense quicker than Andrew. "That's basically why Tyler has played. As time has gone on, Andrew has caught up." Some Alabama fans have questioned Franchione's quarterback decisions to this point. Also, some black Alabama fans have claimed in newspaper letters to the editor and on sports talk radio shows that some white Alabama fans don't want a black quarterback, and that Franchione's decisions have been influenced by that. Zow, the school's career record-holder in total yards, plays and three passing categories, said Monday he appreciates the support but he called it "a lot of people's opinions. ... The coaches are around us every day and they evaluate us. And I'm not thinking they would jeopardize (the team)" by bringing race into their decisions. Franchione has consistently said that the best players play for his football teams, and Zow said he doesn't look at the quarterback competition as a black-white issue. "I'm just looking to go out there and play, basically," Zow said. "The support I get from anybody is greatly appreciated ... But if it's (based on) race, I think we need to probably look over that and continue to go forward." Zow said he tries not to think about the issue of race. "Wherever you go, you're going to have racism or race problems," Zow said. "But how I think is, I go out and try to be a quarterback and overlook things like that." Zow agreed with Franchione on Monday. He saidthat he didn't know the offense well early in the season. "I've grown to understand it more and better," Zow said. "I think I was trying to get to the perfect play throughout the season. Sometimes you're not going to have the perfect play. I believe I started learning that throughout the season." Franchione said, "Andrew's performance (against Auburn) is an example of his understanding and how it's grown over the course of time. He might have been ready to do it quicker, but we got into a rhythm with Tyler. But he was ready to do it when he did do it. "I know the team has confidence in both of those young men. The coaches have confidence in both of them. "If both of them are healthy, it's still a real competitive issue and they'd probably both play." Franchione was secretive about his starting quarterback before the Auburn game, too. Meanwhile, Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville told anyone who would listen that Watts would play and he prepared his team to stop the Watts-led option running attack. Watts didn't play a snap. "Whether (the uncertainty) will have as much of an impact on Southern Miss as it appeared to have on the last game remains to be seen," Franchione said. ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. To unsubscribe from this list just send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a BLANK subject line and the single word "UNSUBSCRIBE" (without the quotes) in the body or visit http://www.RollTideFan.net
