Jake Coker is plenty familiar with a quarterback battle.

He’s only a few years removed from having to earn the starting job at Alabama himself. So naturally, the former Tide signal-caller has an opinion on who will win the starting job between Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts in 2018.

“I’d be really surprised (if Tagovailoa didn’t start) and that’s no shot at Jalen,” Coker said on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5. “I just think Tua is an exceptional quarterback. I think he’s really going to grow in that position. You can see just by the way he sees the field and how accurate he is. I think he has a lot of potential to be successful at Alabama.”

That seems to be the majority feeling after the freshman led the Tide to a second-half comeback in the national championship against Georgia. And while it seems to be a debate of youth vs. experience, Coker said that doesn’t really matter to Nick Saban.

“If you can manage the offense and keep us in the right play and not turn the ball over, that’s the first thing Saban looks for,” Coker said on The Opening Drive. “A guy with a good head on his shoulders and manages a team, that’s No. 1.”

The quarterback debate was briefly put on the back burner while Tagovailoa recovered from a finger injury that he suffered on the first day of spring camp. Tagovailoa is back at camp in limited action.

Saban already suggested that both quarterbacks could play in 2018. Either way, it doesn’t appear that we’re inching any closer to him naming a starter.

Alabama’s spring game is set for April 21.