re: Jimbo Gets His RF QB 52 Pass Attempts - CNS TF QB Gets 11 Attempts

Well, I'll share what I think even though everyone seems convinced I'm just having a good troll.

I would give one QB (Hurts) every single possible rep that I could within reason. That includes most of the reps in practice, and that includes EVERY snap of the first two games at least till mid 4th quarter.

At mid 4th I would let BB come in, and I would coach him, and run the offense like it was 0-0 in the first quarter.

Once mid-season arrived I would dial that back if Hurts seemed to have a grasp of everything.

I would start to sit him whenever we had a comfortable lead, and I would get BB as much PT as I possibly could.

You see these early reps are not equal to the reps later this season. This is an extremely dangerous time for a team with a new young QB, and it is paramount that one of them get up to speed RIGHT NOW.

SEC play is in two weeks, and all the games count the same.

Trying to get them both ready makes sense to me; its just not the way I would do it. Especially if trying to do it that way meant neither QB was getting more that 10 pass attempts per game, and my SEC opener was right around the corner vs the only team to beat me in back to back years.

Then again that is just. my. honest. opinion. so... I apologize ahead of time if my opinion is pushing some of you to the brink of a trip to the nervous hospital.

If youre having a moment after reading this try to calm down by imagining Bama running out of the tunnel wearing these babies !

I don't believe it was a troll. I just think trying to compare Saban and the QB situations were as bad a comparison as one could make. I'm quite sure Jimbo wouldn't have had his freshman QB make that many attempts if he didn't have to.

As far as how the game went for us, neither had any game experience, but one had more time in the system. So I understand why Barnett was in first. I also understand why Hurts went in when he did and why he was put on the bench when he was. I'm sure if he had gotten hurt going in on one more series after having as large a lead as there was, there would be threads blaming Coach for putting him back in and not getting the other guy experience.

In the end.. I think we have 2 guys that are extremely talented. One with a little more skillset and athletic ability than the other. But I believe we will win games with either. I'm happy about where things stand and excited for the rest of the season and confident there will be continued production if one goes down.

Think about it.. we could develop QB's like Auburn. Enjoy the season.. we just slammed the hell out of an arrogant blue blood. Relish and soak it up.

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First the embarrassing uniform thread

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I'm missing your point. Is your point that Coker was always the starter, but lost his job before Ole Miss?

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Yes. That is exactly what I'm saying. I'm pretty sure I saw the first two games, and although I'm old, Alzheimers hasn't set in yet. I distinctly remember Jake Coker taking the first snap of both games.

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Saban never named Coker the starter.

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Hmmm...you sure about that?

"Jake Coker is getting the start but Cooper Bateman will also play, Nick Saban said."

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He said the competition was ongoing through two games...

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There's competition every day in practice, at most positions.

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...two games in which both QBs saw significant action.

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We obviously define "significantly" differently. Bateman played exactly zero meaningful snaps against Wisconsin. He didn't enter the game until right before the 4th quarter, with an 18 point lead.

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Hurts will split time with Barnett for the first two games,

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Again, there's "splitting time" and "splitting time". While the original plan may have been for Barnett and Hurts to split time fairly evenly last Saturday, the reality is that Barnett came out rather quickly and never played another meaningful snap...not going back in until 2:30 left in the 3rd quarter with a 38-6 lead.

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...and a real decision won't be made until after Ole Miss.

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A real decision will be made when one QB separates himself from the others. That could be any week...including this one.

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We just have to hope that they start the right QB vs. Ole Miss this year

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Well, who they start pretty much depends on how each kid performs in the game and practices before then, doesn't it?

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Once Saban decides on a QB, the backup rarely ever sees the field

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No doubt. And aggravating at times, but it's worked out.

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He's still trying to decide who the QB is going to be

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And he's got exactly one game to base game experience on and the way he handled it in the USC game was pretty good I thought.

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It's the indecision that's the problem, and hopefully it doesn't bite us against Ole Miss again

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I don't think it will personally. This is a completely different team and 2 completely different QB's with different skill sets. I think it's just as important to get the O-line adjusted and the running game adjusted as much as the QB. Controlling the game clock is going to be just as pivotal this year, imho.

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He's still trying to decide who the QB is going to be.

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i disagree. I think he knows that its Hurts. He is just fricking with people's mind, IMO.

I think this because of who he left in, even though he had a turnover, and two punts on his first three series.

Why would he give Bateman, and Barnett a series each, and then leave Hurts in for 3 consecutive unsuccessful series? And then why would he leave him in the game until the game was effectively over? It is because Saban knows that Hurts gives us the best chance to win.

I mean, am I really having to explain this? Saban says things in the media to blur what is going on behind the scenes. Hurts is the guy.

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Why would he give Bateman, and Barnett a series each

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He didn't.

Bateman did not play until the last Bama series of the game.

And Hurts third series was a 3 play touchdown drive.

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Bateman did not play until the last Bama series of the game.

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My fault, you are right.

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And Hurts third series was a 3 play touchdown drive.

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Nope.

I would've like to have seen Hurts get more reps in at the end of the game but as for when he was in the flow of the game didn't allow for him to attempt a ton of passes. We had too many explosive plays leading to quick scores.

The thing that did surprise me a bit was that they didn't take the opportunity to run the 2 minute offense at the end of the half; seems like that would've been valuable experience.

And if Saban HAD left Hurts in longer to get more reps and he had gotten seriously injured in a game that was already over?

Boy howdy - the narrative from some folks would be "WHY WOULD YOU LEAVE HIM IN DURING A BLOWOUT?? RABBLE RABBLE SABAN CAN'T MANAGE A NEW QB RABBLE RABBLE!"