Carroll not bothered by criticism

HOOVER

Nobody could confuse Mississippi State's Wesley Carroll with the only other quarterback at SEC Media Days.

He didn't have a flock of groupies fawning over him in the Wynfrey Hotel lobby Wednesday. He doesn't have a Heisman Trophy and didn't give circumcisions to

impoverished children in the Phillippines during Spring Break.

Even in terms of physique, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Carroll looked more like a scrawny sports reporter walking into the same conference room that Florida superstar Tim Tebow worked moments earlier.

Some held Carroll's size and strength against him as he was thrust from third-stringer to starter as a true freshman four games into last season. Even after leading Mississippi State to a bowl victory and more wins than any quarterback in eight years, Carroll still hears about it, and from his coach nonetheless.

"He was a guy we recruited, liked, didn't have a great arm," Bulldogs coach Sylvester Croom said. "(He) still doesn't have a great arm."

Carroll couldn't care less about the criticism.

"It really doesn't bother me," he said. "Maybe (it provides) just a little motivation. But at the same time, as long as we're winning, that's all that matters. I'm not worried about people saying my body's the right size, I'm the right height, my arm is whatever it is. In the West Coast offense, you don't have to have that gunslinger arm; you just have to have an effective arm."

Carroll proved it last season, throwing 137 consecutive passes without an interception, one attempt away from the NCAA record for a freshman at the beginning of his career.

"You usually don't expect your quarterback in this conference to play until his third year," Croom said. "This young man played well as a freshman, and I have been amazed at his decision making."

Croom said he expects even more from Carroll as a sophomore. Croom has bestowed more responsibility upon Carroll, allowing him to make more reads at the line of scrimmage.

And his footwork is improving, which is key in Mississippi State's rhythm-based West Coast offense, but there's still room for improvement.

"The velocity of passing, it starts with flaws in his footwork ...," Croom said.

If Carroll's focus during his first trial-by-fire season was any indicator, he will. If he does, he has a shot at being the steadiest quarterback in an SEC West where none of Carroll's counterparts will be confused with Tim Tebow either.

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