Saban Not Speculating About Alabama’s Fresh QBs After Opener

If this report proves to be true, Sarkisian will be reunited with Lane Kiffin.

KEY PLAY: Midway through the second quarter, Alabama trailed 3-0.

“Two guys came (on the blitz) so I was hot, and I was supposed to run a slant but it was so open I just kept going”, Stewart said. “Just turn your head and keep on walkin'”.

Tomlinson recorded one tackle against the Trojans, while Sims had one reception for 12 yards before leaving the game.

“We talked about it quite a while ago”, Saban said. It’s all at once prestigious and demands competency and mistake elimination above any form of real excellence. Saban went even younger when, as he had planned, Hurts got into the game on the third series. Next week against Western Kentucky in the home opener, Hurts figures to swipe that title.

Redshirt junior Max Browne was among them. “I said whatever decision we made for tonight was for now”.

“It was a high bounce and coach (Saban) always tells us to break on the ball no matter where you are on the field, and he did that”, sophomore cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick said of Humphrey’s interception.

Which, of course, means nobody knows who might be the starting quarterback going forward.

“We had big plays, explosive runs, and I think as the game went on we did a better job”, Saban said of the “inconsistent” run game.

Sep 3, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) throws during the first half against the USC Trojans at AT&T Stadium. Stewart was all alone after a busted coverage in USC’s secondary. Six players had at least 17 yards rushing for the Tide led by 138 yards from Damien Harris. We’re glad to have him as part of the organization.

His play, though, made that role bigger than nearly anyone could have imagined.

It was the first time USC had dropped its season opener since 1997 and marked its worst ever season-opening loss.

After entering the game on the third offensive series, Hurts got Alabama’s offense on track. He also offered Alabama something more: a level of running ability we’ve never seen from an Alabama offense under Nick Saban.

“Having that dual-threat quarterback is going to be hell for the defense”, Stewart said.

Barnett added a 45-yard touchdown after returning in the third quarter, and finished 5-of-6 passing for 100 yards. It couldn’t have ended any better, either.

If Sarkisian fits in well in the football building, if he adds something to an organization already overflowing with talented and experienced staff members, if he handles his personal issues and if Kiffin finds the right head coaching job at season’s end, it could make ideal sense for Saban to promote Sarkisian from within.

Hurts wasn’t great, but he might one day be. And although Jalen Hurts did not start, he clearly was Alabama’s quarterback by late in the second quarter.