Alabama Football has an unusual quarterback situation and most of the college football world is loving it. Nick Saban and new Offensive Coordinator, Tommy Rees must improve the Alabama Crimson Tide offense from last season – and do it without the magic Bryce Young brought to the Crimson Tide.
‘Bryce Youngs’ are rare in college football. It is fair to project that in Young’s two seasons as an Alabama Football starter, there were more than a couple of games Alabama would not have won without Bryce’s magic.
Whichever one of five Crimson Tide options becomes the next QB1, the position will not be as good as it was with Bryce. The good news is the absence of a Bryce clone is not a problem. There are multiple ways to play winning college football and having a magician at QB is but one of them.
Alabama Football QB1 and greatness
The other good news is Alabama’s next QB1 does not have to be great. Why not? Because in Alabama’s 12 regular season opponents, perhaps only two are poised to have outstanding 2023 seasons. Based on various sources, a general consensus is only LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Longhorns’ Quinn Ewers are considered among the ten-best quarterbacks in college football. Both will provide considerable challenge for the Crimson Tide defense, but for Alabama to win over LSU and Texas, the Tide’s QB1 does not have to outplay Ewers and Daniels.
A step below Ewers and Daniels are KJ Jefferson and Devin Leary. Alabama had little trouble with Jefferson last season as he was 13/25 for 155 yards and one TD, plus a paltry 2.2 yds-per-carry in a 49-26 loss to Alabama. That was also the game Bryce Young left in the second quarter due to an injury.
Leary was impressive in the ACC, but SEC defenses are tougher and the Kentucky Wildcats cannot provide enough roster help for Leary to take down the Crimson Tide.
Maybe Joe Milton and Payton Thorne should be grouped with Jefferson and Leary. Or maybe not, for two different reasons. Milton has a big arm but has struggled with accuracy. Given Auburn’s roster weaknesses, Thorne will likely not come close to his Big Ten production.
Throw Will Rogers, Conner Weigman and an Ole Miss QB into consideration. Rogers has been great in Mike Leach’s offense, while always losing to Alabama. Now he must adjust to a very different system. There is just no plausible scenario of Weighman or Jaxson Dart or Spencer Sanders so outplaying the Alabama defense that the Alabama offense must play catch up.
With a stingier defense, an improved offensive line, more consistent receivers, and the best group of running backs in college football, the Tide’s QB1 will not have to win games on his own.
Admittedly, in the post-season, the Crimson Tide may need more than a serviceable quarterback. By that point of the season, Alabama should have no quarterback worries.