Alabama Football: Will we see a QB competition in 2021?

Is Alabama football’s future at QB already decided?

Before the 2020 season began, Alabama football fans expected a quarterback competition. Mac Jones was the frontrunner, but Bryce Young was expected to compete all summer. Some even expected for both players to get reps with the starters in the first game of the season. Before the competition even heated up, Mac Jones took the starting job and ran with it.

This turned out to be the right decision. Jones shattered records and won almost every award possible, and Alabama football won the national championship. With him heading to the NFL Draft, there is once again a vacancy at quarterback. Will we finally have competition in Tuscaloosa?

There are three quarterbacks who have any chance of starting for the Crimson Tide. The clear frontrunner is Bryce Young. He was the team’s backup this year as a true freshman, and he will have chemistry with younger receivers. Behind him, Paul Tyson is the only returner with a chance to start. He has two years under his belt, but he will technically be a freshman once again. While he wasn’t a star-studded recruit, Mac Jones proved to us that it’s what you do in Tuscaloosa that matters.

Alabama football is also bringing in Jalen Milroe out of high school. Milroe isn’t expected to compete for the starting job, but Alabama has a history with Texas quarterbacks named Jalen. The last one jumped over two highly-touted recruits and started as a true freshman.

So, will we see anything that resembles a quarterback competition this season? I think it’s safe to say that Nick Saban won’t name Bryce Young the starter from the beginning. Just like every position, he will give all candidates a chance to earn their spot on the depth chart. That being said, Young has a clear advantage in almost every category. He was a better recruit, and he has more career snaps than any other quarterback on the roster.

At the end of the day, this is Young’s job to lose. If he doesn’t start against Miami to start the season, it will be because he struggled. As long as he lives up to a fraction of the hype, he will be the guy without a strong quarterback competition.