Saban: QB competition doesn’t end at start of season

As Alabama football draws closer to its first game, the interest over which quarterback will get the first opportunity is heating up.

Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban says the quarterback group is taking shape, to some degree before adding that naming a starter for the opener against Middle Tennessee does not the end of the competition within the position.

“I know you guys are looking for an end. But it’s not even going to be an end in the first game,” Saban said.

“You guys all think that whoever we name as the starter for the first game that is like the end of it. It’s not the end of it. What if the guy doesn’t play good? He’s not entitled to keep playing. And the guy that doesn’t play has every opportunity to practice and be more consistent and win the team over so when he gets an opportunity to play, he plays really well.”

Quarterbacks Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson, and Tyler Buchner are vying for the job. Milroe and Simpson went through spring practice, along with freshman Dylan Lonergan and Eli Holstein. Buchner transferred into the program from Notre Dame less than a week after spring practice wrapped up.

Alabama kicks off the season against MTSU on Saturday, Sept. 2.