That being said, i would prepare him as the backup and insert him if Jalen is off and we are behind to try and maintain a winning streak.
That's a dangerous game to play and one Saban has refused to play thus far. I don't think you do that unless you've completely lost confidence in your starter. There have only been three incidents in which the starter came out while struggling a bit and they all had mitigating circumstances. A: GMac against Auburn, he came out entirely because he got banged up and AJ came in (didn't go so well). I should add that while Alabama was behind, GMac was having a solid game. B: Jacob Coker replaced Cooper Bateman in the Ole Miss game. This is the probably the most obvious instance of a guy getting yanked for not getting the job done. The thing is the QBs has been swapping places and no starter had been named yet. Also, Coker was injured so playing Bateman might have been a precaution as much as anything. C: Jalen Hurts replacing Barnett in the USC game. Barnett wasn't exactly tearing things up, but once again no starter was named yet. So, this was more an instance of Hurts taking the bull by the horns than anything else.
Saban has allowed QB battles when he hasn't had an incumbent starter. What he's never done though, is really let another QB share time once a starter is determined, and he doesn't yank his starter for struggling (I suppose he might but it would take something spectacular). Yes, Ingram did some wildcat, but he was never a replacement for GMac. On the flip side, Blake Sims never came in and ran wildcat during AJ's tenure, even if it could have been effective. Saban is reluctant to take the ball of of the hand of the guy he trusts. JPW, GMac, AJ, and I'd point out he left Blake Sims in even when he struggled mightily, and Sims rewarded him with a strong comeback against Auburn (like Hurts had a strong comeback against Ole Miss). So, while I understand the rational. I don't think that's how Saban uses his quarterbacks. I think he puts his faith in his #1 guy and we've seen those guys engineer some impressive comebacks. Barnett was a better pure passer than Hurts last season, but what would have happened if Hurts got pulled after falling behind to Ole Miss? Would Barnett really have been able to manage the comeback? So, I understand, I just don't see that as being how Saban will do it.
If Tua or Mac are impressing coaches much like Jalen did last year then why not play one of them as the 2nd best quarterback on the team.
When you say there is an advantage in bringing in a quarterback with more experience I'm curious how he got his experience? I'm not trying to argue because you may have a great point, I'm just trying to figure out how you get a graduate transfer to play backup with experience unless he played in mop up just like we will ask the two freshman to do.
To the first part, the why not is because you're burning a year of eligibility for mop-up duty. That also leads into my other point.
In one post, and I can't expect anyone to read them all, I mentioned like Cooper Bateman or Alec Morris. What did I mean by that? Well first, I understand why those two left. They'd had the Alabama experience. They had the rings, they'd been around great coaching, they wanted to see what they could do and get some playing time. However, and I'm not saying there's anyone like that, but what if there's a guy out there who wants a ring and wants to be around great coaching? There probably is right? Someone who knows he has no future as a pro, but may be as a coach? Or may be he just wants to be a part of something special? Let's say Cooper Bateman had stayed, would anyone have had an issue with him being the backup while Tua and Jones redshirted? He's not that experienced, right? But still, he attempted about 50 passes in live action. He's played in SEC games, he's played in some big games. So yeah, someone like him, someone who isn't going to start elsewhere at QB apparently, is certainly capable of being a backup QB at Alabama (since he was), and is certainly more experienced than Jones and Tua right?
Having said all that I said above. Despite wanting a graduate transfer like a Bateman or a Morris on the bench, if Hurts gets hurt and will miss a meaningful amount of time, then I think all bets are off. I'd agree with taking the redshirt off Tua if he for what ever reason clearly becomes the best option. But only if he's clearly the best option. But, I think it would make a heck of a lot of sense to get an more experienced guy to play mop-up duty if that's at all possible.