As Alabama football gears up for another run at a national championship, the Crimson Tide's long-term solution at quarterback remains a mystery. Nick Saban named Jalen Milroe the starting quarterback for Saturday's season-opener but made it clear that does not end the competition at the position.

Saban and the Alabama football staff want to see Milroe prove he can be the guy.

Quote via Nick Alvarez:

“The life of a quarterback, any quarterback, depends on how they perform. So, if a guy plays well, that’s what creates security at that position,” Saban said. ” … A guy’s gotta understand that the way he performs is really, really important. All three guys have made significant improvements. Would like to play more than one guy in the game. I’ve told the guy who’s going to start the game, we want you to play well enough so we have an opportunity to play all the guys at the position because that’s important for us.”

Milroe was the leader in the clubhouse for much of the offseason given his track record with Alabama. He was Bryce Young's primary backup in 2021 and 2022 and started for the Crimson Tide against Texas A&M last season. Milroe finished with 111 passing yards and three passing touchdowns, adding 83 yards on the ground.

Milroe was in a battle with Ty Simpson and Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner. It's likely that Alabama will get multiple looks at each guy in its first game against Middle Tennessee, but a primetime Week 2 matchup against Texas is sure to be a one-QB affair given the magnitude of the game.

Jalen Milroe's athleticism and arm strength made him the favorite to take the reins for Alabama football. Now that he's got the job, Nick Saban wants him to earn it and keep it. Saban has never been shy about making a change at quarterback when he has to.