As we enter Week 4 of the 2018 season, Alabama QB Jalen Hurts could find himself at a crossroads.

If he plays on Saturday against Texas A&M, he’ll hit four games on the season, which is the limit if you want to preserve your redshirt.

However, coach Nick Saban told ESPN’s Chris Low this week that he thinks Hurts wants to play, and has never heard otherwise from the former Crimson Tide starter (who has since lost his starting job to Tua Tagovailoa):

“Every time I’ve talked to Jalen since the season started, he’s said, ‘Coach, I want to play,’ and has never said otherwise,” Saban said. “He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. He’s never asked not to play in a game. He says he’s ready to play and has practiced well and prepared well. Jalen’s a competitor, and the kids on this team respect him. They respect both quarterbacks.

“And I think it says a lot about both kids that neither one of them has ever said a bad word about the other.”

Saban anticipates needing both Tagovailoa and Hurts moving forward, but understands Hurts’s situation:

“I understand how unique a situation this is,” Saban said. “I don’t know of any other precedent at any time in college football where a guy started 28 games, won 26 of them and then somebody took his place. That’s never happened. So that’s hard for Jalen, and it’s hard for me. I’m a loyal guy and loyal to the guys who get out there and lay it on the line for you. You want to be fair to all of your players, but you also want to be fair to your team.

“We needed both quarterbacks last year, and we’ll need them both again this year.”

Will Hurts play on Saturday afternoon against the Aggies? And how much? Tune in to CBS at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time to find out.