The wait is almost over. Alabama is set to kick off its fall camp as players report back to Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Thursday before holding its first practice on Friday, Aug. 3. Before Alabama hits the practice field, BamaInsider.com will take a look at each of the position groups. We start our series today by examining the quarterback position.
Where things stand now
Jalen Hurts is staying, and Tua Tagovailoa isn’t going anywhere either. After months of waiting Alabama will finally get to see the two quarterbacks compete for the starting job this fall.
While the general perception is that Tagovailoa heads into camp as the favorite, Nick Saban has remained adamant that both quarterbacks will receive an qual opportunity to win the competition. During a Tuesday appearance on ESPN, the head coach said he’d like to decide the battle during camp as he looks to find someone who will win over the team.
“The quarterback’s the distribution center of the ball, so I like having a guy that’s going to execute because that’s how team chemistry and confidence gets developed on offense,” Saban told ESPN. “I know if I’m playing receiver and I’m running this route and they’re playing this coverage and I’m the first option, I’m supposed to get the ball. And if that ball doesn’t come to me, then why didn’t it?
“So, to have team chemistry, people have to be able to execute. They have to have knowledge and experience and they have to execute. And when you play quarterback, it’s not about you making all the plays, it’s about you helping other people make plays by distributing the ball the right place at the right time accurately and efficiently. So, that’s probably No. 1.
“No. 2 would be leadership and how you affect other people, what kind of teammate you are and I think knowledge and experience in being able to execute in the critical time in the game, when the game’s on the line, when your best is needed. I think those three things would probably be right up there at the top, to me.”
What we expect
Assuming Alabama does find a clear winner during camp, all signs currently point toward Tagovailoa. Despite breaking a bone in his throwing hand during spring camp, the sophomore heads into the fall with all of the momentum.
The last time we saw Tagovailoa on the field he led Alabama to a second-half comeback against Georgia in the national championship game, completing 14 of 24 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns, including the 41-yard game-winner to DeVonta Smith in overtime.
Even if Tagovailoa wins the job, expect Hurts to stay with the team this season. A new NCAA rule allows the junior to play in four games while still redshirting, meaning he could graduate in December with two years of eligibility remaining.
Potential surprise
There is also a chance Hurts and Tagovailoa could be used in a shared role this season. Saban has used a two-quarterback system in the past and has not ruled out the possibility of doing so again this season.
“I’ve said this many times — somebody’s got to win the team,” Saban told ESPN. “And both of these guys have done things in the program to create value for our team. That’s going to be the challenge. And if both guys can play a role and help us win, why wouldn’t we utilize both guys’ talents?”
Tagovailoa looked to be the better ball distributer last season, while Hurts was the better runner. Last season Hurts finished second on the team with 855 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. Alabama could look to take advantage of that in certain packages.
