September 3rd is quickly approaching, and we still don’t have an answer on who the starting quarterback will be. At this point, Bateman is still considered the favorite.
It seems like there is a quarterback battle going on every year at the University of Alabama. It has almost become as expected as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and this year has been no different. The competition is down to three players, but the favorite is still the redshirt junior from Salt Lake City, Utah Cooper Bateman.
Out of all the quarterbacks on Alabama’s roster, Bateman is the only one to have game experience. He played in six games last year — including one start versus Ole Miss — and he finished the season with 291 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Now, those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but the quarterback competition might come down to one particular stat: the six games played. Saban has always preached that limiting mistakes at the quarterback position is a key to success. So far, that’s something that just about every quarterback on the roster has struggled with going back to the A-Day game. If those mistakes continue, that struggle could end up working in Bateman’s favor.
It’s a matter that can be debated, but as long as every quarterback continues to struggle with the small things, it could push Bateman into a starting role by default. The experience that was previously mentioned becomes the difference in the competition.
Now, I’m not saying that the young quarterbacks such as Blake Barnett and Jalen Hurts haven’t improved, but what I am saying is the window for either player to step up and take the job from Bateman is closing fast. They need to continue making strides in fall camp if they want to push themselves over the top in the competition. It’s “make-or-break” time for the quarterbacks.
The quarterback battle has been the most debated topic for Alabama this summer, and the debate will continue until we have our answer come September 3rd against USC. What are your thoughts?