SEC INSIDER

Saban: Alabama QB competition still ongoing

The Sports Xchange

September 03, 2014 at 12:46 pm.

Blake Sims was a bright spot for Alabama in the opener. (RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports)

Quarterback Blake Sims had a nice game in his starting debut, throwing for 250 yards and rushing for 42 to lead Alabama to a 33-23 victory over West Virginia in the opener.

But the competition for the starting job will continue this week as the Crimson Tide prepares to host Florida Atlantic.

Florida State transfer Jake Coker, a junior who took only two snaps in the win (the last two of the game), likely will have the opportunity to see extensive action against the Owls.

Though Sims completed 24 of 33 passes, he did have an interception and missed some open receivers. Coach Nick Saban also wasn’t completely happy with the senior’s game management, noting some delays in getting plays called.

Thus the opportunity for Coker.

“I don’t hesitate to say there’s a quarterback competition and that in some way we’ll probably try to play both quarterbacks in this game,” Saban said in a Birmingham News report. “I don’t know how.”

Saban said when he did get it figured out, he likely wasn’t going to reveal his plan to the media.

“I’m probably not going to tell you,” he said. “And I don’t know that it’s that important, to be honest with you.”

Though Saban doesn’t like to hear such talk, the Tide will have two great opportunities to do a lot of tinkering the next two games with overmatched opponents coming to Tuscaloosa.

After taking on the Owls, 55-7 losers to Nebraska in their opener, the Tide is host to Southern Mississippi the next week. The Eagles lost their opener 49-0 to Mississippi State.