Nick Saban: 'We'll tell you' when someone separates themselves during Alabama QB competition
As training camp gets underway, the biggest question at Alabama is who the starting quarterback will be. The battle between Jalen Milroe, Tyler Buchner and Ty Simpson is getting plenty of attention with the season just a few weeks away.
Nick Saban sounds ready for the questions from reporters about how the competition is going. That said, he said the answer won’t change until there’s a resolution.
Saban met with the media Thursday night after fall camp got underway and made it clear someone has to take control in the competition. Until that happens, he might not have many updates.
“Look, you’re going to ask me about the quarterbacks every day,” Saban said during his Thursday press conference. “Every day, I’m going to tell you the same thing. Everybody’s getting reps at the position, somebody’s got to take the bull by the horns, somebody’s got to separate themselves. When that happens, we’ll tell you. We’ll be glad to tell you. When we’re going to take the cake out of the oven, we will tell you when it’s time, aight?
“But until then, there’s really nothing to talk about. There’s nothing to say. So there’s really no sense in asking about it because we want all the guys when they’re in there, you play the position like it’s yours, like it belongs to you.”
If there was an incumbent, Milroe would have that title. He got some game reps behind Bryce Young a year ago after he went down with an injury. In eight games, he completed 31 of 53 passes for 297 yards and five touchdowns while throwing three interceptions. He also did work on the ground, rushing for 263 yards and a touchdown.
But Alabama went into the transfer portal to bring in Buchner from Notre Dame, where he worked closely with new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. Simpson is also a key factor after coming in as a highly touted recruit last season. He was a five-star recruit and the No. 25 prospect in the nation from the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
Even though they bring different levels of experience and skillsets into the battle, Saban said he wants each of the quarterbacks to worry about their own games. They can’t get too worried about how the competition will shake out.
Keeping your eye on the ball is critical as he tries to get the eventual starter to play at a high level, Saban said.
“You’re out there competing,” Saban said. “You’re not out there looking over your shoulder, you’re not worried about someone else does. You’re playing like you’re the man. And that’s what we want each guy to do and see who can do that with the most consistency. It’s important. You’ve got to be process-oriented.
“You can’t be outcome-oriented right now. You’ve got to be process-oriented because that’s what’s going to help you play with the kind of consistency that you need to play winning football at the position, which is ultimately what we’re looking for.”