Alabama Football: How much does starting quarterback matter?

The last four starting quarterbacks for Alabama Football all won national championships, attended Heisman ceremonies, and now play in the NFL.

Whether Alabama’s next starting quarterback will reach those levels of individual talent and success remains to be seen, but perhaps that isn’t necessary to lead a championship-caliber team.

Redshirt sophomore Jalen Milroe entered the spring with a leg up on the rest of the position room, having backed up Bryce Young last year. Milroe saw significant game reps in 2022, displaying both impressive strengths and glaring weaknesses. After watching the spring game, Alabama Football fans are concerned that he hasn’t improved much on those weaknesses.

Redshirt freshman Ty Simpson was considered the challenger, and the former 5-star recruit is believed to have a higher ceiling as a passer. Unfortunately, he injured his hand in the spring game was unable to display his full skill set.

Two true freshmen, 4-stars Dylan Lonergan and Eli Holstein, are also in the mix and played well on A-Day.

The addition of Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner to the quarterback room further complicated what was previously a pretty straightforward competition.

As a result, Alabama Football and its fan base is in a peculiar position. Here we are, heading into the summer with spring practice in the rearview mirror, and we have more questions about the quarterback situation than we did in January.

The QB battle is, at minimum, a three-man race now. It doesn’t appear that any of the contenders have done anything significant to separate themselves from the pack.

Regardless of who emerges from this competition, it’s hard to imagine Alabama’s starting quarterback being invited to the Heisman ceremony in December. The good news is, Bama doesn’t necessarily need its starter to rack up 4,000 passing yards this fall.

Instead, it needs someone to take command of the offense and demand respect in the locker room. It needs a leader. Perhaps even more importantly, it needs a quarterback that is going to make smart decisions and play mistake-free football.

The Crimson Tide figures to have a loaded stable of running backs and a massive offensive line, as well as a defense that, in theory, will return to being a top-5 unit.

If Alabama can limit turnovers, it will be very tough to beat. Milroe, Simpson, and Buchner are all capable of playing this brand of football, but they have yet to prove it.

When the season kicks off on September 2nd, it won’t matter who takes the first snap for Alabama Football, it will just matter that they protect the ball.