What Saban said about Alabama football’s quarterback battle to start camp

At SEC Media Days, Alabama football head coach Nick Saban illustrated the Crimson Tide quarterback battle with a story of his grandmother’s cake baking. On Thursday, the Tide opened preseason camp.

Afterward, Saban brought the cake-making analogy out once again.

“You’re gonna ask me about the quarterbacks every day,” Saban said to assembled media after the first practice.”Every day I’ll tell you the same thing. Everybody’s getting reps at the position, somebody’s got to take the bull by the horns.

“Somebody’s got to separate themselves. When that happens, we’ll tell you, we’ll be glad to tell you. When we’re gonna take the cake out of the oven, we will tell you when it’s time, but until then, but until then, there’s really nothing to talk about.”

The candidates for the job include returners Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson, plus Notre Dame transfer Tyler Bucher. Milroe served as Bryce Young’s primary backup last season, and won his lone start against Texas A&M, but Saban has made it clear he has not secured the job.

Simpson played sparingly in 2022, his first year at Alabama, preserving his redshirt. He was a five-star quarterback coming out of high school.

Buchner suffered through injuries last season, but was able to return and start the Gator Bowl, beating South Carolina. He followed coordinator Tommy Rees to Tuscaloosa.

Saban said Buchner and Rees’ relationship was helpful for evaluating the quarterback before he joined the team.

“Tommy knew the guy better than anybody could know him,” Saban said. “I mean, he coached him for a couple years. The guy was injured last year so we didn’t get as much experience. I think he started two games and played fairly well so we got the opportunity to see that, but you know, Tommy knows him better than anybody else could.”

The head coach noted that Buchner is still adjusting to his new surroundings.

“I think that he’s probably still getting comfortable with the system, there’s some new terminology in it,” Saban said. “And I think he’s probably still getting comfortable with the players around him, because the other (quarterbacks) have been with those guys a little more, but I do think there’s really good competition at the position.”

Alabama’s preseason camp is scheduled to run through Aug. 26. The Crimson Tide open the 2023 season against Middle Tennessee State on Sept. 2.

More: Saban provides camp injury updates, comments on why WR Thaiu Jones-Bell isn’t rostered