Quarterback competitions seem to be the new norm during each Alabama offseason nowadays. After having one of the most widely covered and discussed battles between Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts two seasons ago, Crimson Tide fans were clamoring for the next debate between the team’s future signal-caller.
Incoming five-star freshman Bryce Young was able to step into the role of the highly talented young prospect who obviously excited the masses.
But unlike the showdown between Tagovailoa and Hurts, experience took home the title of being named Alabama’s starter when Mac Jones was listed as the number one quarterback on the team’s depth chart on Monday.
On Tuesday, Jones had the chance to share his reaction to being named the team’s starter and his mindset moving forward with the team.
“I’m really thankful to be named that position, and I think I’ve earned the trust of my teammates and coaches,” said Jones during the player’s scheduled zoom call. “But we’ve just got to keep working as a team and focus on this upcoming game because you’ve got to go in there and execute and do your job, and that’s for everybody — not just the starting quarterback. Anybody has to be ready to play, and we’ll all have to be ready to go for Saturday.”
Jones’ ready for anything mentality came in handy last season when he was called upon to fill in for an injured Tagovailoa when he first went out with an ankle sprain, as well as, when he was eventually lost for the season with a dislocated hip.
In 2019 Jones passed for 1,503 yards, 14 touchdowns, three interceptions and led the Crimson Tide to a 3-1 record as a starter which ended with a Citrus Bowl win over the Michigan Wolverines on New Year’s day.
He filled the void of no Tagovailoa nicely for Steve Sarkisian’s offense and later attributed his mentality and preparedness to the experience he gained from watching Tagovailoa and Hurts prepare when they were both on the team.
“Being under Jalen and Tua and all that, there’s a lot of things you can learn from, but really just from a leadership standpoint, just being ready to go because you never know when you’re gonna have to play,” said Jones. “I think that applies to our whole room with Paul and the walk-on quarterbacks, as well, because anybody might have to play at any given moment.”
Jones also expressed how comfortable he and the team are by having the number one ranked quarterback in the 2019 class sitting behind him in Young, and that the relationship between the two of them has been good all fall camp.
“He comes out to practice every day, and he puts his head down and works and he does what he’s supposed to do,” said Jones. “As a starting quarterback, looking down and seeing him doing his job makes me feel comfortable that if he has to step in the game, he can do his job.”
Jones will have his first opportunity to lead Alabama’s offense as the unquestioned starter on Sept. 26 when the Crimson Tide travel to Columbia, MO to take on the Missouri Tigers.
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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
