TUSCALOOSA, Ala. _ One advantage of the University of Alabama football team having not named a starter at quarterback between Blake Sims and Jacob Coker is that it forced West Virginia prepare to face both.
Granted, the Mountaineers have had a whole month of training camp and practices, but still …
“The number-one thing that we have to be ready to do as a defense is run our package,” West Virginia defensive coordinator Tony Gibson told reporters earlier this week. “We had to prepare for a lot of different things. Sims is a little more athletic than Coker, obviously. We’ve been able to study some film on him, got to see him in the spring and at the end of last year when they put him in games and what he’s able to do.
“Our kids will be ready. It’s kind of the unknown right now.”
Thursday night, Nick Saban hinted strongly during his radio show that Sims, a senior who has been in the system for four years, would start.
“We have faith, trust and confidence in Blake Sims … he doesn’t have to look over his shoulder while he’s playing,” he said while asking fans to have some patience. “I think there may be some occasion where the other guy deserves an opportunity at some point in time this season to show what he can do.”
A source told CBSSports.com late Thursday night that Sims will start “barring any unexpected last-minute changes.”
Regardless, Alabama will have someone other than AJ McCarron start for the first time since 2010, a run of 40 games, and he’ll be just the fourth to do so since Brodie Croyle in the Cotton Bowl at the end of the 2005 season.
“With Sims I’m sure they’ll have some quarterback-run things that we’ll have to defend,” Gibson added. “Coker is more of a pocket passer.”
Christopher Walsh has covered Alabama football since 2004 and is the author of 19 books. In his free time, he writes about college football.
