Why It Doesn't Matter Who Starts at QB for Alabama in 2015

HOOVER, Ala. — One year ago, Alabama's quarterback position was a mess.

Jake Coker had just transferred in from Florida State, backups Cooper Bateman and Alec Morris were unknowns, and David Cornwell was coming off a torn ACL suffered during his senior season of high school in Norman, Oklahoma.

As it turns out, none of them won the job, and quarterback-turned-running back-turned-quarterback Blake Sims led the Crimson Tide to the 2014 SEC title.

The cast of characters who fell short last year are back to contend for the job, along with true freshman Blake Barnett.

Coker and Cornwell appear to have a slight edge over the field, but the truth is that it doesn't matter who wins the job. 

Bill Haber/Associated Press

Alabama will be just fine, whether it's Coker or Cornwell.

Head coach Nick Saban didn't put a timetable on making a decision but did compliment both of the primary contenders for the job. Here's the Coker praise.

"Coker has done an outstanding job for us. I think he's made a tremendous amount of improvement," Saban said. "I think that a better understanding, better knowledge of the system, better knowledge of what we expect, what's expected of him in our offense are all things that have contributed to his confidence and his performance level."

Butch Dill/Associated Press

As for Cornwell, this spring marked the first time that the coaching staff had seen their former 4-star pro-style prospect at 100 percent. After spring practice last year, he underwent ankle surgery and wasn't back to form until late during his redshirt year of 2014.

Since that time, he's elevated to the Crimson Tide's clear-cut No. 2 in a five-man battle.

"David is a bright guy," Saban said. "He has a great understanding of the offense. He's a very good passer and a very accurate passer. I think that understanding the speed of the game and processing information quickly and making quick decisions and getting the ball out of your hand and doing it accurately is probably the thing that all quarterbacks gain understanding of. How quickly he does that will determine how quickly he can become the guy."

What gets lost in the increased—and overblown—focus on the quarterback battle is that history has proved Alabama will be fine.

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

All of those same concerns were present last year even three games into the season, and all Sims and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin did was post the program's most successful offensive season. Sure, wide receiver Amari Cooper was awesome, but Robert Foster and ArDarius Stewart are both ultra-talented receivers, utility stud Kenyan Drake is back, leading rusher Derrick Henry returns and the offensive line should be solid with veterans Cam Robinson and Ryan Kelly returning.

"When we're running the ball great, I don't think anybody can stop us," Kelly said. "That's one of the things that we got back to this spring was to become a balanced offense. We do the no-huddle stuff now and then, but we don't want to shy away from what Alabama is."

What Alabama is, and what Alabama should be, is a team that runs the ball downhill, works off play action and incorporates tempo when appropriate.

Kiffin proved that he can adjust to what the offense needed on the fly last year with a quarterback in Sims whom nobody expected to win the job, and will do the same again in 2015.

Five of the last six national titles have been won by teams with first-year starting quarterbacks, and eight of the last 12 starters in the national championship game have been in their first year atop the depth chart.

Don't get caught up in the hype. Alabama has the right coach, plenty of talent and more experience on offense than meets the eye.

As long as somebody takes the job, it doesn't really matter who it is.

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Star ratings from 247Sports. Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on Sirius 93, XM 208.

Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.