Wednesday was a busy day for the Alabama football team. The Crimson Tide completed its 17th practice of the preseason and it also marked the first day of classes on campus in Tuscaloosa.
Following practice, head coach [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] took time with local reporters to provide an update on his team as the Tide inch closer to game week.
During his press conference, Coach Saban was asked about the ongoing quarterback battle and what the downside of that position being unsettled has on the team.
“Yeah, but that’s kind of up to them. Like I said in here before. I told the quarterbacks, I said, ‘Quit looking around for me to make a decision about who’s gonna play. How about you playing good enough that I don’t have a choice? That’s what you can control. That’s what you can do.’ And somebody needs to do that. And it’s sort of taking shape to some degree, but somebody’s got to do it. Where you all think that, like whoever we name as a starter the first game, that’s like the end of it. That’s not the end of it. It’s just the beginning. What if a guy doesn’t play good? He’s not entitled to keep playing. And the guy that doesn’t play got every opportunity to practice and be more consistent and win the team over so that when he gets an opportunity to play, he plays really well. We have changed quarterbacks around here a few times during the season. So, I know you guys are looking for an end but it’s not even gonna be the end in the first game.”
“You’re looking at me kind of funny. Did I not explain that very well. I know what you asked. I just don’t want to answer it. We’re gonna make the best of it for our team and our team has to be make the best of it as well. And whoever plays the position, everybody gotta play well around him and do the best job that they can to help them play well.”
I think what Saban said here is pretty important. He made it very clear that there is still not very much separation between the quarterbacks and it is likely to play out over multiple games this season. With Texas lurching in Week 2, most fans would like for a starter to be etched, but also like Saban said, this wouldn’t be the first time in his tenure that a QB battle carried over into multiple games.
Alabama will hit the practice field again on Thursday, Aug. 24.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.
[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1134]
