Alabama coach Nick Saban speaks with media after second scrimmage
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Heavy rain forced Alabama’s second scrimmage of the fall season to be delayed on Saturday, but when the Tide took the field, there were some notable takeaways.
First, though no starting quarterback was named, freshman Jalen Hurts was impressive, earning rave reviews from media members in attendance.
However, it doesn’t sound like coach Nick Saban saw it that way:
Saban on QBs: I can't say that one guy sticks out right now. Each has different skill sets.
— Aaron Suttles (@AaronSuttles) August 20, 2016
Saban on if there are still three QBs in the competition: "Yes."
— Charlie Potter (@Charlie_Potter) August 20, 2016
The three quarterbacks in the competition are Hurts, redshirt junior Cooper Bateman and redshirt freshman Blake Barnett.
Saban did say freshmen could play big roles for the Tide this season, though. Could that mean Hurts has the edge?
Saban: "We'll probably have more freshmen play this year than we have had around here in a while."
— Charlie Potter (@Charlie_Potter) August 20, 2016
Overall, Saban said Saturday’s scrimmage was a mixed bag, with lots of positives and lots of negatives:
Saban post-scrimmage: "We had way too many undisciplined-type penalties. We had a lot of dropped balls. We did make some explosive plays."
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) August 20, 2016
Finally, Saban updated the Tide’s injury situation, noting that Saturday didn’t feature many new injuries:
Saban says DT Dalvin Tomlinson, LB Keith Holcombe, WR Cam Sims sat out. Nobody got seriously injured today, "which is a good thing."
— Alex Byington (@_AlexByington) August 20, 2016
Alabama’s first game of the season is set for Saturday, Sept. 3, against USC in Arlington, Texas. The depth chart and quarterback battle should start taking shape quickly as the season opener inches ever closer.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
