Quarterback competitions around the country have been settled with the start of the 2023 college football season on the horizon. Kirby Smart has his QB, picking Carson Beck to lead Georgia. So when will Nick Saban name the heir to Bryce Young?
Saban is taking his time when it comes to picking between Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson and Tyler Buchner. He's not even sure the starter in Week 1 against Middle Tennessee will lead the team in Week 2 against No. 11 Texas.
"Where you all think that whoever we name is a starter for the first game, that's like the end of it. It's not the end of it. It's just the beginning," Saban said in his post-practice presser on Wednesday, H/T On3. "What if a guy doesn't play good? He's not entitled to keep playing. And the guy that doesn't play has 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. I mean, 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 going to be the end in the first game."
So Alabama's quarterback competition is far from over, even if a frontrunner has emerged.
Nick Saban is comfortable with extending Alabama quarterback competition
This isn't out of the ordinary for Saban. In 2016, Blake Barnett got the start in Week 1 against USC. After just two series, both punts, the head coach yanked Barnett in favor of then-freshman Jalen Hurts.
So it's best to believe Saban when he says the competition could continue to play out in the first few weeks of the season.
Make no mistake though, having a settled quarterback situation is what's best for Alabama. One of the three QBs needs to grab the job with both hands and leave the quarterback drama in the offseason.
The Crimson Tide had enough problems with Texas last season. The Longhorns should be even better this year, even if the venue swapping to Tuscaloosa benefits Saban's squad.
Whichever quarterback wins the job has the chance to work out the kinks against Middle Tennessee in Week 1. If things are bumpy, Alabama will go into a huge non-conference matchup with uncertainty putting them at a disadvantage.