NASHVILLE, Tenn. ― Alabama football has a quarterback battle brewing, and Nick Saban was asked about it at SEC Media Days, as expected.
What wasn’t expected: He started talking about cake. Specifically, his grandmother Anna Saban baking a cake.
“Grandma Saban used to bake the best cakes in the world,” Saban said. “I used to stand by the oven when I was a kid and say ‘When’s this cake going to be done? When’s this cake going to be done?’”
She would remind him to be patient.
“She said, “If I don’t let it go through and take it out of the oven too soon, it’s going to turn to mush. So it won’t be a really good cake,'” Saban recalled.
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So how does that relate to Alabama’s quarterbacks in 2023? Saban got there eventually in his analogy.
“I think we’ve got to let this sort of develop,” Saban said. “Let the cake bake until somebody separates themselves. All the players are working hard. They all have a good attitude. They’re all competing well.”
Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson and Tyler Buchner are the three primary players competing for the opening at quarterback, left vacant with Bryce Young’s departure to the NFL. Milroe and Simpson have been with the team before, but Buchner transferred from Notre Dame after spring practice.
“We’re focusing on, how do we develop the players that we have?” Saban said. “We want to develop all the players. Everybody wants to know who the starter is. What about the backup guy who has to go in and play? Jalen Milroe did it last year against Texas A&M. How he finished the Arkansas game. It’s important that all these guys continue to develop and everybody at that position develops into where they can play winning football. I use the cake analogy because it’s not done yet. There’s not a decision to be made at this point and time, nor are we ready to make that decision at this time until somebody separates themselves.”
And for the record, Saban said carrot cake is his favorite.