**** 2018 QB Layne Hatcher Commits to Bama ****

Warmack left, Kennedy almost certainly going somewhere, more to almost certainly come....scholarships available.

When it comes to recruiting as we & the rest of the country has found out , if you receive a offer from Coach Saban at Bama, you're a legit Player & must be pretty dadgum good..Maybe he bids his time sticks around & becomes a true "System Player" for us at the QB spot..

bama579 said:

regardless of what Hurts does or doesn't, it is hard to see this as anything other than good.

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Well, originally Alabama wanted him as a preferred walk-on.

That means A: It wouldn't have counted against any of the signing or scholarship limits and B: He could not have played next year.

Under this scenario, they gave up a signing and scholarship slot, so that's not particularly good. It also means Alabama probably felt a greater sense of urgency for what ever reason.

TitleWave said:

Or be on the Dan Enos developmental QB squad for two years then take his game elsewhere that would still be above Arky State status.

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I think this is the likely outcome for Hatcher. It would help him immensely while giving us a cushion at QB.

We only signed 21 players last year with him. I'm thinking Saban has said he wanted another QB regardless and this was what he finally decided on. Doesn't really mean anything about possible transfers etc. We wanted the ECU grad transfer as well. On Hurts, I don't think he goes anywhere until December when he graduates. My reasoning is why send him to leadership retreats that you only do with players that you are expecting to lead this coming year.(IMO Tua will be the starter) Also, why hasn't he already transferred if that is what he has chosen to do. He would have a head start learning the playbook etc . Let it play out

Possibly a result of a relationship Enos began while at Arkansas?

I think a grad transfer would have been preferable, but this guy is a help. I think that Coach wasn't at all comfortable with having only three guys on scholarship, and it took this long to sift through who was available out there and make a decision.

Scenario 1: we play through the year with these four guys, Jalen leaves as a grad transfer next winter. Next year we play with five guys on scholarship.

Scenario 2: Jalen leaves before the season this year and we have these three guys.

Scenario 3: Jalen leaves, Tua gets injured, and Mac plays with new guy as backup.

Scenario 4: Jalen leaves, we win another title, and MAC leaves after the season. We will play with four guys going forward.

Any way you slice it we are in a much more comfortable place with new guy than we are without him. And the fact that Arkie State wanted him makes me feel better about things, not worse.

Jmo rtr

IMO, if Hurts wants to do what is in his best interest he should transfer before fall camp. if he is not the starter then he is wasting his time and risking the possibility of any locker room disruption. He goes to his new school, sits a year, takes the year off, works with his new team in the spring and gets ready for the 2019 season with two years to play. Quite frankly, I would not blame him and advise him to transfer.

GrayTide said:

IMO, if Hurts wants to do what is in his best interest he should transfer before fall camp. if he is not the starter then he is wasting his time and risking the possibility of any locker room disruption. He goes to his new school, sits a year, takes the year off, works with his new team in the spring and gets ready for the 2019 season with two years to play. Quite frankly, I would not blame him and advise him to transfer.

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IMO, assuming Tua is the starter, Jalen will not be a locker room distraction because everyone will be happy or at least content. That is one of the benefits of CNS staying with Jalen as long as he did - no can complain that he was not respected or got the quick hook.

As far as him transferring, we don't know for sure what he really wants. Your scenario is very plausible based on a player wanting to start above everything. But despite Mr. Hurts' comments, we don't really know what Jalen himself wants deep down inside, he may not even know for sure at this time. There is also the very real possibility of injury, though Bama has been very fortunate regarding QB injuries in CNS' tenure. But that can change any moment - see Tua in the Spring. Jalen may be satisfied with being a safety-net in a great program with teammates and coaches he has gone to war with for 2 years and a HC who has been very fair with him and fond of him. He has already proven to be an extraordinary individual - not that transferring would change that. We just don't know for sure what he wants.

I agree that Hurts has been a loyal, team player his entire time at Alabama and, I have no reason to believe that will change if he is relegated to backup duty. Unless, we are mis-reading his father; he wants Jalen to start wherever he is, in Tuscaloosa, Los Angeles, or Houston. As for what Jalen wants, you are spot on, he may not know what he wants or what will happen. I suppose my point was, if starting is his and his father's end game, then he would be better off leaving before fall camp, assuming Tua is the starter.

GrayTide said:

I agree that Hurts has been a loyal, team player his entire time at Alabama and, I have no reason to believe that will change if he is relegated to backup duty. Unless, we are mis-reading his father; he wants Jalen to start wherever he is, in Tuscaloosa, Los Angeles, or Houston. As for what Jalen wants, you are spot on, he may not know what he wants or what will happen. I suppose my point was, if starting is his and his father's end game, then he would be better off leaving before fall camp, assuming Tua is the starter.

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From what I’ve read previously, Jalen is on track to graduate in December 2018. He could also stick around through the upcoming season. To see what happens, and to get some more coaching and development.
then, he could go wherever he wants, as a graduate transfer, and be able to play in 2019, without having to sit out a year.

Bamabirdie said:

From what I’ve read previously, Jalen is on track to graduate in December 2018. He could also stick around through the upcoming season. To see what happens, and to get some more coaching and development.
then, he could go wherever he wants, as a graduate transfer, and be able to play in 2019, without having to sit out a year.

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If he does that he only has one year left to play. IMO, if he stays this year he should just finish his football career at another position at Alabama.

My gut feeling is that both Tua and Jalen will get meaningful PT (not just mop up) regardless of who starts.
DC's will lose sleep trying to plan for both.

HITIDE said:

My gut feeling is that both Tua and Jalen will get meaningful PT (not just mop up) regardless of who starts.
DC's will lose sleep trying to plan for both.

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Not really - Tua is even more elusive than Jalen. Jalen is faster - Tua is quicker. But my point is that if they prepare for Tua, they have prepared for Jalen because they have to account for Tua's legs just as much.

Several of the biggest plays that Tua made in the CFPCG came with his legs.

KrAzY3 said:

Well, originally Alabama wanted him as a preferred walk-on.

That means A: It wouldn't have counted against any of the signing or scholarship limits and B: He could not have played next year.

Under this scenario, they gave up a signing and scholarship slot, so that's not particularly good. It also means Alabama probably felt a greater sense of urgency for what ever reason.

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The kid must have tremendous potential...

HITIDE said:

My gut feeling is that both Tua and Jalen will get meaningful PT (not just mop up) regardless of who starts.
DC's will lose sleep trying to plan for both.

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Agree 100%!

4Q Basket Case said:

With absolutely no inside information, I think either Hurts or Jones is transferring.

If there were no QBs transferring, a fourth QB who is
-- a true freshman
-- from a private high school in Arkansas
-- thought Arkansas State was his next best option, and
-- signs between the end of the spring semester and beginning of the first summer term in Tuscaloosa
does not in any way fit the profile of a Saban recruit.

Absent a QB transfer, it just makes no sense. Saban doesn't do anything without a clear purpose, so we're left to piece together what he might be thinking.

While you could construct all sorts of scenarios, the simplest one is a transfer, leaving us with two QBs on scholarship, and needing some disaster insurance.

Lacking a reason to think otherwise, I have to go with Occam's Razor -- the simplest explanation is usually the best one. If that's right, the only question left is who -- Hurts or Jones?

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I think Jones stays