USC vs Alabama: Cooper Bateman, Blake Barnett Will Play At QB

USC vs Alabama will involve two Tide quarterbacks, just not the duo expected, as Cooper Bateman and Blake Barnett remain in the running, Nick Saban announced Monday.

Speculation that Nick Saban would play with two quarterbacks during USC vs Alabama was correct. However, it wouldn’t be Saban if he didn’t pull a twist on the media.

The Alabama head coach announced during his press conference on Monday that Cooper Bateman and Blake Barnett are in line to play against the Trojans, leaving true freshman Jalen Hurts as the odd man out in the QB competition.

Reports from practice last week had indicated that Hurts was receiving a greater share of the reps than Barnett and that the talented young quarterback was pushing for a starting place against the Trojans.

Alabama’s depth chart still lists Hurts among the co-starters at quarterback, but it would seem that his youth compared to the redshirt junior Bateman and redshirt freshman Barnett has put his prospects of playing on Saturday in doubt.

Bateman has long been the favorite to win the starting job as the most veteran quarterback on the roster, but the dual-threat abilities of Barnett and Hurts extended the competition into fall camp, much like the challenge of Sam Darnold elongated USC’s own quarterback battle.

Trojan head coach Clay Helton, unlike Saban, decided to name his starting quarterback with two weeks to prepare for Alabama, however. Ultimately, redshirt Max Browne won the top spot on the depth chart.

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Helton, who was at USC during the controversial and disastrous quarterback competition in 2013, said he wanted to avoid a similar sitatuon as befell then-head coach Lane Kiffin when he declined to pick between Cody Kessler and Max Wittek. Switching the two quarterbacks out of the first two games by halfs, the Trojans struggled against Hawaii and were upset at home by Washington State.

Saban has had better luck employing two quarterbacks in a game in the past. Last year against Wisconsin the Tide used both Jake Coker and Bateman and still won the game. It was Coker who emerged as the full-time starter after that game and helped Alabama to a title.

Though mystery over which quarterback will play and how much might cause other teams distress, especially with such different styles as Bateman, the pocket passer, and Barnett, the mobile QB, USC’s offseason quarterback juggling has given the Trojans an advantage, according to Helton.

Having to go against a pocket passer like Browne on one series, then face a dual-threat talent like Darnold on the next has already given the defense the mentality and preparation necessary to take on Alabama’s passers — whoever they may be.