Alabama Football: Looking for backup QB in Transfer Portal pointless

What would an Alabama Football offseason be without something for fans to worry about? Mainly, it would be unusual. Crimson Tide football fans never waver from National Championship aspirations. That situation is more a blessing and a burden. But the downside is some Alabama football fans cannot keep from worrying about what might go wrong.

Right now, the most popular worry is “OMG – what happens if Bryce goes down.” Admittedly there is no QB2 who appears as capable and as ready as Tua and Mac were or Jalen was when he was needed again.

Crimson Tide conventional wisdom is Paul Tyson resembles Jake Coker in stature but not in ability. Further, the ‘believed to be’ inside scoop is that while Jalen Milroe has great potential, he is months or maybe even a season away from being able to run the Crimson Tide offense.

One logical response to such concerns – even if the concerns are legitimate – would be to confidently expect Nick Saban and Bill O’Brien to have an achievable plan designed to win without Bryce.

A less logical approach seems to be more popular on Alabama Crimson Tide message boards. It is, to bring in a quarterback through the Transfer Portal. Quarterbacks do love the Portal. Some will use the Portal to move to a third school. Some good QBs have transferred this offseason. The new NCAA rule on immediate eligibility will likely increase the Portal inventory.

Alabama Football Fans and the Portal

Alabama football fans should take a close look at the Portal’s currently available quarterbacks. It will be a hard task to find ones better than Paul Tyson and Jalen Milroe. The few that might be better are not looking to come to Tuscaloosa to watch Bryce Young play. Without targeting any specific deficiencies of any available QB, we’ll just say a bunch of the guys could not make the Crimson Tide scout team.

If guys in the Portal are good enough to come to Tuscaloosa and leapfrog Tyson and Milroe to QB2, they are good enough to start at many schools. That is the situation these young men are looking for, not what can be offered by Nick Saban.

There is one exception that might work.  It would be a guy who has enough game experience Tide coaches believe he could run most of the offense, should Bryce goes down. For the young man to be interested, he would have to know he has little chance of a professional football future. Coming to Tuscaloosa to be a backup would be a smart career move if the young man wanted a career in coaching.

One more caution about a transfer QB. Bring in one and Paul Tyson could not be blamed for leaving immediately. Chances are there would be no net gain in the QB roster.