Nick Saban discusses what what will go into Week 1 starting QB decision

Nick Saban only has 48 hours left to make any kind of announcement regarding his starting quarterback position heading into Alabama’s season opener. Of course, that announcement may never come, with the Crimson Tide not releasing a depth chart until just before kickoff in Saturday’s opener vs. Middle Tennessee State.

But in the meantime, Saban joined JOXFM’s McElroy and Cubelic In The Morning on Thursday. As most interviews with him have gone this preseason, Saban was asked about Alabama’s quarterback situation and his plans for Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson, and Tyler Buchner in Saturday’s game.

Regardless of who ultimately starts at QB this weekend, that doesn’t guarantee that they’ll be in that role for the entire season as Saban has repeatedly made it clear the competition will likely continue well into the regular season.

“I think, first of all, you’re like most people – you say ‘long term solution.’ But just because a guy starts the game on Saturday doesn’t mean he’s going to be the starter for as long as he has eligibility left,” Saban said. “I would like because there is competition at this position? And there are several guys that are capable to continue to compete, regardless of who the starter is? That person needs to know that I’ve got to continue to compete, execute, and play well.”

This isn’t a policy that’s new to Saban either. He looked back at 2009, a season where Greg McElroy himself was the starter, when Alabama won its first title under Saban as further proof that the starter against MTSU this weekend will not necessarily be the starter for Texas and so forth.

“If you remember when we won the first national championship? I said that this is not the end. This is just the beginning. So just because you start the game on Saturday? That’s not the end. It’s just the beginning,” Saban continued. “You deserve this first opportunity to go out there and get a chance to play. Go show what you can do, take advantage of it. You’ve earned that by what you’ve done to this point.”

In the end, winning is the what matters most within the confines of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Many are going to put a lot of stock into several things as the competition continues but, at the end of the day, the ability to play winning football, from every snap in every game, is what will eventually separate one quarterback from the group in Saban’s eyes.

“We’re going to play the guy that we feel gives us the best opportunity to win because they can play winning football at their position, execute, process, and do the things they need to do to take advantage of what the particular play or sequence involves,” said Saban. “That’s what’s going to happen.”