Nick Saban didn't say it on Saturday after Texas beat Alabama, but actions speak louder than words. And right now the rumor rolling through the mill is that Jalen Milroe will be benched in favor of Tyler Buchner when the Crimson Tide take on USF on Saturday.
The "growing expectation" that Buchner will start over Milroe was reported by John Talty of Bama247 (subscription required). Buchner has been receiving more first-team reps in practice than Milroe but no official announcement has been made about which quarterback will start.
Saban didn't officially announce Milroe as the starter and he's insisted all along that the quarterback battle would continue throughout the season.
Alabama quarterback depth chart: Nick Saban still searching for starter
Right now, the best guess at the current Alabama depth chart is this:
- Tyler Buchner
- Jalen Milroe
- Ty Simpson
- Dylan Lonergan
What did Milroe do to get benched? While he tossed two touchdowns, he also threw two interceptions against the Longhorns while completing just 14-of-27 passing attempts. There were calls during the game for the Tide to try another quarterback because of Milroe's struggles.
Buchner transferred to Alabama from Notre Dame, following offensive coordinator Tommy Rees to Tuscaloosa. His performance there was a mixed bag. He saw some playing time as a freshman, mostly in a package as a rusher to supplement starter Jack Coan. He threw three touchdowns and three interceptions while rushing for three scores.
In 2022, Buchner started the season atop the depth chart but he was benched after an unproductive performance against Ohio State followed by a two-interception outing in an upset loss to Marshall.
Buchner was a Top 100 prospect in the class of 2021. So he's not without promise. But he completed 56.8 percent of his passes and threw more interceptions than touchdowns at his previous stop. The fact that Alabama is turning to him shows just how uncertain things are at quarterback for Saban for the first time in years.
Aside from Milroe and Buchner, Alabama could call on 2022 five-star Ty Simpson or four-star true freshman Dylan Lonergan.
