Nick Saban Says Alabama Hasn't Named Starting QB, Downplays Retirement Buzz

For a team that has won five titles in the last nine years, Alabama football coach Nick Saban had a lot of questions to answer Tuesday at SEC media days. 

Perhaps the biggest question mark going into next season is at quarterback, with Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa both having a legitimate claim on the starting job.

According to Bryan Fisher of College Football Talk, Saban blamed the media for creating a quarterback controversy going into the season, although the battle is still ongoing.

"It's still to be determined as to who's going to play quarterback for Alabama," the coach said, per Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times.

Hurts spent the past two years as the Crimson Tide's starter, totaling 40 passing touchdowns and 21 rushing touchdowns as a freshman and sophomore. He had 17 passing touchdowns with only one interception in 2017.

However, it was Tagovailoa who led the team to a national championship with his three touchdown passes against Georgia in the title game.

One question that Saban did put to bed was any talk about him retiring.

"Miss Terry doesn't want me at home," the 66-year-old said of his wife, per Alex Scarborough of ESPN.com. "I don't care if it's 60, 70 or 80. ... As long as I'm healthy, I'll continue to do it."

Saban last commented on possible retirement in March, saying he will keep going "as long as I'm healthy and as long as I feel that I can do a good job," via Chris Low of ESPN.

However, rival coaches are apparently telling recruits that Saban is on his way out and will retire soon, per SB Nation's Bud Elliott, a notion that is clearly untrue.

The coach also believes his assistants will provide a lot of help in the coming years.

"I think this is also one of the better recruiting staffs we've had, and I think that's going to be beneficial to us in the future as well," he said Tuesday, per Ben Jones of the Tuscaloosa News.

Alabama lost both its offensive and defensive coordinators from last season, but Michael Locksley will take over the offense and is known as a great recruiter. Tosh Lupoi also has a similar reputation and will coach the defense in 2018.