Link: Transfer QBs felt misled by Coach Saban

bamagradinATL

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Sep 12, 2006
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These are the real story.

BB was likely told - you will start the game. What he heard was "you are our starter", i.e. you've won the QB battle, when it's likely Saban meant, you've earned the start for this game and we'll continue to evaluate how you guys react in game situations.
I remember the year AJ and P. Sims battled for the job. They both had an opportunity to win the job at the start of the season. AJ outplayed P. Sims and the rest is history.
 

BamaMoon

Hall of Fame
Apr 1, 2004
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Sometimes in sports what is unclear suddenly becomes crystal clear.

During camp and leading up to the first game last year I imagine BB and Bateman probably thought they had the clearer path to playing time. But then Jalen took the opportunity by the horns and they got left in the dust.

Last year before Romo got hurt, did anybody thing Dak Prescott would bypass the typical rookie qb struggles in the NFL to blossom into what looked like a veteran qb for the Cowboys? Obviously not, but when he got his chance the picture was perfectly clear.
 

RobK

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Aug 27, 2004
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When you have an open competition for the position of starting QB, I--for one--think the intrigue, the mystery, and even misdirection when it comes who will play can be a real strategic advantage, especially when you're facing a top tier opponent in week one. And if, indeed, that is what's best for the team, then the players ought to accept it. I know this...every instinct, intuition, and presupposition Coach Saban has is likely opposed to putting a true freshman QB on the field in a meaningful game, meaning that those two other guys had every chance to win the job.
 

MN-Tide

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Jan 2, 2007
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I wish both of these guys all the luck in the world, but I have doubts that Barnett will be very successful as a QB. He has a lot of physical talent, but you want mental toughness in a QB. Maybe he'll mature, but he doesn't act or sound like a team leader.
 

bamaslaw

All-SEC
Jan 16, 2005
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As far as Bateman, I wouldn't be surprised if they cherry picked statements for this story.
This makes a lot of sense to me. Bateman's quotes sounded a bit like "this wasn't what I thought I was told, I'll get through it but I don't have to like it". If was told he was in a competition with Barnett and Jalen comes in and takes the job... I understand why he'd be miffed.

But he never once spoke about it while he was here, and didn't run off and transfer immediately. I can't bring myself to pile on him.
 

imaloyalone

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Jan 9, 2005
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Another thing that needs to be mentioned in this thread is the "elephant in the room" when it comes to college QB's. The current culture of college QB's is "if I don't win the starting gig, I'll transfer" (some immediately). Yet, like every other position on a team, a head coach needs to have depth at the position in case of injury (remember the Brodie Croyle era???). To me, when college QB's complain of mistreatment/misinformation/etc. at a former school, they're complaining about something THEY helped create (IMO they primarily created it). You want more open, transparent honesty from your head coach??? How about making a commitment to stay around (at least for a year) after losing a QB battle.
 

CrimsonPride

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I tend to agree with this.

Well, Coker lost the job to Sims but had limited time in the offense at that point but I get your point. I'm not at all disagreeing how the QB situation was handled but I don't think BB really got a real shot at the starting job vs USC. He got only 2 series before Jalen came in and took over for most of the game. Its not like JH was killing it after his 1st 2 series either...
I think Barnett was given every opportunity to be the starting QB. He just couldn't cut it. The fact that a true freshman had more poise and performed better when it counted (during the games) says a lot.

Barnett not only struggled and looked downright scared against USC, he looked pretty much the same starting against Kent State. You are at home against a team that we are paying to show up and there is no improvement from the first game - not a good look.

To his credit, he did look better in the 2nd half against USC when the game was not on the line. The same with Kent State which supports the idea that maybe he isn't a starter but a good back-up.

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rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
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Barnett lost the job because he wasn't very good. He's not a gamer or leader. Hurts is both. Seeing Barnett on the first two series inspired a reaction of certainty I've only had in Alabama football when Lacy ran it in against Notre Dame on the first possession. On that night in Miami, it was a certainty that what I was about to witness was a mudhole stomping for the ages. On that night last year in Dallas, it was a certainty that he would not be the starter for this football team longterm. I might not be a football coach but I'm a good read on people and I saw a young man that was scared to death. Hurts comes in and immediately makes a big mistake yet you wouldn't known the difference by looking in his eyes.

Bateman is the only one who I think took a tough beat because Saban did explicitly say that both Barnett and Bateman would take snaps. I don't know about you but I'd take that as "I'm in the hunt for this job." We all soon found out that was more of a clever feint to confuse the opponent and protect a true freshman from the fan and media anticipation/expectations.
 
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rgw

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Oh and I also heard - similar to what the media members have said - that Barnett simply did not look good in practice. The only reason Hurts was on the radar was because nobody outside of maybe Kiffin (who knows on that) had a ton of confidence in this guy when the lights were on.
 

RollTide_HTTR

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I think Barnett was given every opportunity to be the starting QB. He just couldn't cut it. The fact that a true freshman had more poise and performed better when it counted (during the games) says a lot.

Barnett not only struggled and looked downright scared against USC, he looked pretty much the same starting against Kent State. You are at home against a team that we are paying to show up and there is no improvement from the first game - not a good look.

To his credit, he did look better in the 2nd half against USC when the game was not on the line. The same with Kent State which supports the idea that maybe he isn't a starter but a good back-up.

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I'm not saying that BB wasn't giving an opportunity in practice and given a little bit of a chance vs USC. But he got only 2 series in his first ever game action and IIRC one of his passing plays was a sack that was on the OL not him(I could be wrong I don't remember clearly). Sometimes it takes some players a little bit to get into the game. Again, I'm not saying he even deserved more of a chance than he got. All I'm saying is that he really didn't have any kind of extended opportunity to win the job in live game action. He actually was fine vs Kent State, I don't remember every play but he did lead a scoring drive and made some solid throws IIRC. I support Hurts and am not at all sad BB is gone but I just don't think we really know who he is as a player in game action yet. We will find out soon enough though.
 

CrimsonTheory

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Best players play. This isn't Little League/Pee Wee Football where everybody gets to play, if you are the best at your position, you will play. Bateman and Barnett simply got beat out/outplayed.

In the case of Barnett, if you can't take some criticism from the H.C. then maybe, just maybe, you shouldn't be starting a for a MAJOR D1 football program.

I have no ill-will towards either player, and I suspect the media knew they could get both young men to give them quotes so they media can keep up their "Saban is evil" narrative alive. So I put most of the blame on media. But Saban gets some blame for not keeping a clear line of communications and the players for not taking advantage of the opportunity they received.
 

CrimsonNagus

Hall of Fame
Jun 6, 2007
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I don't care what Saban told them, he has made it very clear since being at Bama that the best player will play.

Me thinks they need to concentrate on winning their current jobs instead of whining about the old ones they lost.
 

92tide

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I don't care what Saban told them, he has made it very clear since being at Bama that the best player will play.

Me thinks they need to concentrate on winning their current jobs instead of whining about the old ones they lost.
yeah, if they are still going on about stuff from almost a year ago, they are not going to fare very well in their current situation.
 

TitleWave

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Dec 3, 2012
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I don't care what Saban told them, he has made it very clear since being at Bama that the best player will play.

Me thinks they need to concentrate on winning their current jobs instead of whining about the old ones they lost.
Au contraire, Saban told the team "I'll be quarterback surfing this season" and the two whining dep(a)(o)rtees heard what they wanted to hear, Bateman's take being "I bet I could do that on the Great Salt Lake without sinking," and the girlyboy's "Yeah, this year's QB will be a surfer, and that's me..."
 

superbamashane

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Au contraire, Saban told the team "I'll be quarterback surfing this season" and the two whining dep(a)(o)rtees heard what they wanted to hear, Bateman's take being "I bet I could do that on the Great Salt Lake without sinking," and the girlyboy's "Yeah, this year's QB will be a surfer, and that's me..."
Speaking of surfing, he prolly didn't look good in front of his high profile girlfriend surfing the pine bench.

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