Kalen DeBoer wants Alabama Football to have a 'playmaker' at quarterback. It is not a novel position. Every college football head coach wants a quarterback who makes plays and, more specifically, explosive plays against top defenses.
Earlier this week, DeBoer said, "I think a lot of it is, we want that playmaker. We want that guy ... I don’t want just a game manager out there. If we’re going to win at the level we want to win at, we want a guy who’s going to produce and make the big plays. Obviously there’s a piece too where you can’t make the big mistakes."
DeBoer also explained he, Ryan Grubb, and Nick Sheridan are in no hurry to decide on a QB1. "I think it would be pretty foolish for us to make a decision right now. We have plenty of time still to work through it and let these guys continue to work through the summer." Many Alabama football fault DeBoer for revealing little in his chosen statements. He is described as a master of often derided 'Coach Speak'.
Alabama Football Patience might not be all Transfer Portal-Driven
In terms of a starting QB, DeBoer may not be avoiding full disclosure. Maybe he and the Alabama football staff have not seen enough yet. It's no surprise that DeBoer said that the Crimson Tide does not want a 'Game Manager' quarterback. That does not mean DeBoer wants a playmaker with mediocre game management skills. It is not unusual for some athletically gifted quarterbacks to be inconsistent decision-makers. To make game-changing plays against top defenses, quarterbacks must have more than speed, arm strength, and accuracy.
Bryce Young was a quarterback magician for the Crimson Tide. Much of his magic came from between his ears, rather than his arm or legs. Young can be described as a generational talent who made extraordinary plays because of presence of mind. Which of Alabama's three quarterbacks has the most of what Young had: "the ability to remain calm and take quick, sensible action"?
Alabama football fans don't know the answer yet, and it is possible that DeBoer, Grubb, and Sheridan are not close enough to knowing either. There is no reason to expect an answer from the Crimson Tide's new 'A-Day' not-a-game format.