Over the past six seasons, Alabama football has been blessed with top-notch quarterbacks ranging from Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa to Mac Jones and Bryce Young, with all four projected to be NFL starters next year.
With the spring game in the rearview mirror and the 2023 season opener under three months away, Alabama fans are on edge to find out who the next great Alabama quarterback will be.
Back in April, Alabama’s Bryce Young was selected No. 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers in the NFL Draft, leaving a huge vacancy at the quarterback spot for the Crimson Tide. Going into Alabama’s spring game, it was a two-man race between Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson to see who would be Young’s predecessor, but after an average performance from both Milroe and Simpson, another name emerged as a potential replacement. Tyler Buchner transferred in from Notre Dame to join his former offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who is now the offensive coordinator for Alabama, making it a three-man race.
Monday on "McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning," ESPN’s Paul Finebaum spoke about Milroe and the momentum that he has been gaining lately at becoming the starter for Alabama.
Finebaum mentioned he wouldn’t be surprised if Milroe won the job. He added there had been reports of Milroe working with wide receivers in Tampa, Fla., getting some extra work in while practice is finished until the fall.
"[I]t does seem that way," Finebaum said in response to speculation about Milroe possibly being the leader in the quarterback room right now.
"[I] don't know because I think we probably are still a considerable period away from [the season], but this is a really important time right now in June, and I think — at least based on what people that cover the team are saying ... [Milroe] seems to be coming back," he added.
Last season, Milroe earned a start against Texas A&M due to a shoulder injury that sidelined Bryce Young. In his only start of the season, Milroe passed for just 111 yards, going 12-of-19 on passing attempts and throwing for three touchdowns and one interception. Milroe also added 83 rushing yards on 17 attempts. Everyone knows how dynamic of a runner he is, but the biggest question mark is whether can he get the job done through the air when needed.
The quarterback competition is still an ongoing battle, with no signs of an announcement anytime soon to name a starter. If we are going by recent history and how Saban normally plays out his quarterback competitions, we shouldn't expect a starter to be named until the second game of the season at the earliest.
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