Alabama Football: Crimson Tide needs a QB competition in spring and fall

Alabama football faces an offense rebuild with exiting players and a new Offensive Coordinator. A QB competition is a good place to start.

Foremost on the minds of Alabama football fans last spring, summer and into fall camp was replacing Tua Tagovailoa. More than a few Alabama Crimson Tide fans doubted Mac Jones was up to the task. Tide message boards were filled with statements the Crimson Tide could not compete for a National Championship unless Bryce Young became the starting quarterback.

Mac Jones proved all the doubters wrong. Now, Bryce Young is the heir apparent. What would benefit the Crimson Tide more is for there to be a fierce battle to win the starting quarterback job. Competition brings out the best and no matter which QB earns the starting role, QB2 must be ready to play winning football, in an instant.

Three scholarship quarterbacks are barely enough. What happens frequently and particularly with quarterbacks, is the eventual No. 2 guy decides to transfer to gain a starting role elsewhere. Incoming freshman, Jalen Milroe is likely to be patient. Paul Tyson could certainly start at other schools, should he fail to beat out Bryce Young. If Tyson were to win the job, Young hanging around seems unlikely. As Nick Saban would say, ‘free agency’ has a downside for teams.

New Crimson Tide, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Bill O’Brien must already have a few names in case injury or transfer leaves the Tide with only two scholarship QBs. One or more of the walk-on QBs, Kristian Story who played QB in high school and Slade Bolden who played QB, RB and WR in high school will be on the list. An incoming transfer might also be considered, although, as was learned with Gardner Minshew and Brock Purdy, transfers usually seek immediate playing time.

Paul Tyson is not frequently mentioned by the Alabama football staff. A few Alabama football insiders believe Tyson has all the skills to run the offense used by Steve Sarkisian. How much that offense will change under Bill O’Brien remains to be seen. The Crimson Tide’s offensive goals have always been set by Nick Saban. Every Tide OC adapts, adds wrinkles, tweaks carryover schemes and plays – but does not re-tool.

Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe are true dual-threat guys. Tyson is not, but neither was Mac Jones. O’Brien must have to plan to win with either Young, Tyson or Milroe at quarterback. A QB1 competition may continue until fall camp scrimmages. The battle for QB2 could go well into September. Milroe has much to learn and no one can know how long the learning process will take.

Check out this ‘Way Too Early’ 2021 Offense Two-Deep.