Alabama adds Canadian walk-on quarterback Miguel Camboia to Week 1 roster

Alabama is adding an unexpected name to it’s Week 1 roster, and his name is Miguel Camboia.

While the Crimson Tide still haven’t named their starting quarterback for the season, they’re throwing another signal-caller onto their roster sheet. Camboia, who played at Mobile Christian before joining Alabama, is a non-scholarship player, and his father Chris Camboia playing under Nick Saban at Toledo.

“Non-scholarship Alabama QB news: new addition to the Week 1 roster is Canadian walk-on Miguel Camboia, a freshman who played at Mobile Christian,” tweeted Mike Rodak. “His father, Chris Camboia, played for Nick Saban at Toledo and later in the CFL.”

While the addition of Camboia likely has nothing to do with the Alabama quarterback competition, it makes for a fun bit of banter. Who knows, maybe there’s a scenario where we see the son of one of Nick Saban’s former players under-center one day in the future.

Regardless, it’ll be fascinating to see which quarterback gets the first run on Saturday for the Crimson Tide, and whether the perform up to Saban’s standards. Alabama is expecting to make the College Football Playoff in 2023, and that’ll likely come down to there quarterback play.

Whether it’s Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson or Tyler Buchner, Nick Saban will be expecting a lot, and he’s not one you want to disappoint when playing for him, as Miguel Camboia’s father likely relayed to him.

Paul Finebaum: Nick Saban ‘is not thinking about Kirby Smart’

In other news, Paul Finebaum doesn’t believe Nick Saban has Kirby Smart on his mind, despite what pundits may think.

Many have championed Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs over Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide as the new standard in the sport of college football. That’s what back-to-back titles will do for you. However, the SEC Network analyst believes the idea that Saban is chasing Smart is rubbish. 

According to Finebaum, one thing alone matters, and that’s trophies hoisted when it’s all said and done. He has seven of them, and he’s focused on his eight, not what’s going on in Athens.

“For Nick Saban, it’s about national championships. And I know the narrative has changed, but come on now. He’s got a 4-1 record against Kirby Smart, he beat him two years ago in the SEC Championship and lost the rematch, which really didn’t matter. But I don’t think people are — at least where I am — get obsessed about that rivalry just yet,” explained Finebaum. “Maybe after Kirby wins again. But Nick Saban wants a championship. He’s won seven. Another one puts him at eight. I mean, he’s running away from from from Mount Rushmore right now with another championship. 

“He’s not thinking about Kirby Smart. He’s thinking about holding the trophy up.”