There’s nothing quite like inserting a parent’s thoughts into an offseason quarterback competition.

Jalen Hurts’ father, Averion — who was also his high school coach at Channelview High School in Texas, offered up some strong comments to Matt Hayes of Bleacher Report recently that’s only going to add drama to the complicated issue currently facing Nick Saban this offseason: who will start at quarterback in the season opener against Louisville from Orlando, Hurts or Tua Tagovailoa?

According to Averion Hurts, if his son doesn’t win the job at Alabama this offseason, he could become “the biggest free agent in college football history.”

Averion didn’t specifically say transfer there but it’s quite clear that’s what he’s suggesting with that comment. In order to play immediately without sitting out a season, Hurts would need to earn his undergraduate degree from Alabama, something he has yet to accomplish.

Hurts will be a junior next season, having helped Alabama achieve a record of 27-2 in the games he has started. Of course, Tagovailoa, a rising sophomore, was more responsible for that final win than Hurts after he came off the bench and rallied the Crimson Tide to an overtime win over Georgia in the National Championship Game.

As for the thought that Hurts could play another position at Alabama, his father was quick to dismiss that notion as well.

“All he has ever wanted to do was play quarterback,” Averion said according to Hayes. “He’s not a tight end or an H-back or anything else. He’s a quarterback.”

It’s unclear what Hurts has to gain from these comments but it should be interesting to see if Saban is asked about them during his next media availability. While nothing a parent has to say is going to faze the Alabama coach, the outside noise from the parent of one of the players in his program is most likely not appreciated by Saban at this point.