Pennington jokes about Alabama career

Published 2:03 am Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Former University of Alabama quarterback Spencer Pennington talks about his college career while speaking Monday evening to the Selma Quarterback Club. -- Jay Sowers

Former University of Alabama quarterback Spencer Pennington talks about his college career while speaking Monday evening to the Selma Quarterback Club. — Jay Sowers

Former Alabama quarterback Spencer Pennington entertained the Selma Quarterback Club Monday with jokes and stories about when he played football and baseball for the Crimson Tide.

“To you Alabama fans if you lost money on me while I was there, I apologize,” Pennington said in his opening. “To you Auburn fans, you’ve got to love me because I was your best player for many years.”

Pennington, who was at the University of Alabama from 2001 to 2005, now works for a company named Stryker in Tuscaloosa.

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Mike Debose recruited the quarterback, but by the time he left Alabama he had played for three other coaches.

“I was recruited by [Mike] Dubose, I played for [Dennis] Fran, I practiced for [Mike] Price and I played for [Mike] Shula,” Pennington said, causing laughter from the crowd.

He almost didn’t go to Alabama, despite always wanting to go to college there. Mississippi State had told him he could play football and baseball if he attended school in Starkville and Pennington was set to become a Bulldog. Then, Dennis Franchione took over as head coach at Alabama, spoke to Pennington on his first day after taking the job and told him he would allow him to play both sports while at Alabama.

From there, his decision was very easy. He chose to go to Alabama the following day.

“Playing for the University of Alabama was a thrill. I am very blessed,” Pennington said. “If it hadn’t of been for sports, I would have never had an opportunity to go to college.”

Pennington took time to talk about the current state of Alabama football, which continues to be ranked No. 1 following a victory over Colorado State Saturday.

“We are on top and Nick Saban is unreal,” Pennington said. “The chance to win four national championships in five years is unbelievable.”

He also made sure to joke about his career at Alabama, which he admits didn’t go the way he would’ve hoped.

“I just want to remind you guys not to take this [run] for granted. Remember that less than 10 years ago I was your quarterback,” Pennington joked.

Although Pennington had what he considers less than stellar football career, he was great on the baseball diamond. The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Pennington after his junior year at Alabama, but he had to turn them down because of medical conditions and advice from doctors.