Alabama football's quarterback problems run deeper than anyone knew | Goodbread
TAMPA − From a cold bench at Notre Dame to a sun-splashed Florida afternoon taking over at quarterback for Alabama football. That's how Tyler Buchner's day began.
It ended far differently. And for Crimson Tide fans, far more worrisome.
Buchner struggled mightily (5-of-14, 34 yards passing) in his debut as a starter in place of Jalen Milroe, who started Alabama's first two games, in a 17-3 Alabama win at South Florida. Alabama didn't move the ball much better with redshirt freshman Ty Simpson, either, but behind Buchner, the Crimson Tide's first half was worse than bad. The offense punted on its first five possessions, looking listless and lifeless against what was supposed to be an outmanned opponent.
Buchner, for his part, never looked in sync with his receivers, or anywhere near comfortable. And with the Crimson Tide now turning to SEC play against Ole Miss next week, its transfer from Notre Dame appeared to have passed the quarterback baton as quickly as he received it.
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Who's next?
Does the Crimson Tide turn back to Milroe, who struggled in a 10-point home loss to Texas? Does Simpson get a starting crack now?
In either case, with a quarter of the season already complete, Alabama looks less adept at the quarterback position than any Crimson Tide team in coach Nick Saban's tenure. That would include his first team in 2007, which lost six games but had a veteran with experience behind center in John Parker Wilson.
The fact that Buchner started the game, regardless of his performance, justifies Saban's decision to add him as a post-spring transfer from the Fighting Irish. All over college football, backup quarterbacks are called on to finish games, start games, and,sometimes, finish seasons. It's de facto smart for any coach to take on a transfer quarterback who can take over the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. That also speaks to the youth and inexperience of Simpson, however, and the generally dire appearance of Alabama's quandary at the game's most important position. Buchner, after all, is just five months removed from competing in Notre Dame's spring game.
In the end, Alabama's running game managed to grind out enough production to help secure a victory that had an awfully hollow ring to it.
A weather delay of more than 30 minutes for a lightning strike gave the Crimson Tide an opportunity to regroup, behind 3-0, with 12:44 left in the first half. The skies opened up at the end of the first quarter as a driving rainstorm sent fans scrambling for the Raymond James Stadium concourses.
If it was Alabama's offense they were there to see, they didn't miss a show anyway.
Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23 and the Talkin' Tide podcast. Reach him at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @chasegoodbread.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football's QB problems run deep. Is Ty Simpson the answer?
