Nick Saban names Alabama starting QB for Week 1 game against Middle Tennessee, laying rest to Crimson Tide's imminent QB battle

After weeks of debates and training camp duels, Nick Saban has finally found Alabama's starting quarterback as the Crimson Tide head towards their Week 1 game against Middle Tennessee.

For days on end, the question surrounding the starting QB for Alabama and Nick Saban's offense had been the talk of the town. The duel between sophomore Jalen Milroe, Tyler Buchner and freshman Ty Simpson had been the highlight of the Crimson Tide's training camp, with the three quarterbacks fighting for a starting spot.

But we finally have an answer to the Crimson Tide's starting QB conundrum.

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Who is Alabama's starting QB?

Austin Peay vs. Alabama

Entering the Sept. 2 matchup, Nick Saban finally broke his silence and announced that Jalen Milroe will start under center when the Crimson Tide take on Middle Tennessee.

ESPN's Chris Low confirmed that Milroe, the backup QB to Bryce Young for the 2022 college football season, will finally take charge of helming Alabama's offense on Saturday.

While Saban had refused to name a starter for the team just days ago, in a bid to light a fire under the belly of his quarterback room, he finally decided to go ahead and name Milroe the starting QB just a day before Alabama's Week 1 match.

Milroe had already been touted as the favorite to win the starting spot for the Crimson Tide, especially given his experience within the offense, having played backup reps behind Bryce Young for over a year. In contrast, Ty Simpson and Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner had less time playing within the team's offense.

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Is Jalen Milroe a good fit to lead Alabama's offense?

With Milroe set to take center stage when the Crimson Tide kicks off their season, let's look at his on-field exploits and athletic numbers.

Milroe is perhaps the most explosive and athletic player in the team's QB room. He has previously been clocked in at 4.64 in the 40-yard dash. He has also recorded a 4.38 short shuttle time while recording a vertical jump of almost 35 inches.

For any quarterback, those are impressive numbers. While his arm strength and accuracy have often been questioned, his athletic prowess, especially in the pocket, has been a major factor in his being named the starting QB.

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Alabama football QB depth chart

While the stage is set for Jalen Milroe to thrive in his starting spot in Alabama's Week 1 game, there is still bound to be heavy competition between the rest of the team's QB room for minutes.

With that in mind, here's a look at the Crimson Tide's Football QB depth chart:

Jalen Milroe

Milroe is obviously going to lead the team in minutes, given his spot as the starter for the team. The redshirt sophomore has spent much of his time with the team learning from stars like Bryce Young. Having been the favorite to helm the team's offense, he will play a significant role in their season trajectory.

Ty Simpson

While just a freshman, Simpson is a big reason for the QB conundrum in the hands of Nick Saban. With a steady and controlled passing game, he had been the biggest rival to Milroe in the fight for the starting position. While he lacks some of Milroe's athletic exploits, he isn't too far behind and is more likely than not set to be QB2 for the Crimson Tide in their Week 1 match.

Tyler Buchner

Buchner, a redshirt sophomore, was the last person to be added to the Crimson Tide QB room after transferring from the Fighting Irish. He had been a dark horse candidate to steal the starting position from Milroe and Simpson. His familiarity with the team's new offensive coordinator, Tommy Rees, was also a major factor in his bid to be named the starter under center for the Tide.