Crimson Chapters:Chapter 3

An oral history of the University of Alabama’s football season, as told by the people who lived it

Quarterback competition

staff photo | robert sutton

staff photo | erin nelson

Alabama quarterback Jake Coker, left, saw his first playing time with the Crimson Tide against Florida Atlantic. Blake Sims, right, earned the start for the game against FAU.

By Tommy Deas

Executive Sports Editor

The biggest mystery coming into the University of Alabama’s 2014 football season was who would play quarterback.

With the departure of three-year starter AJ McCarron for the National Football League after a collegiate career that saw him win two national championships, the Crimson Tide faced a void under center.

No clear leader emerged during spring practice, and Jake Coker entered the mix after transferring from Florida State, where he had backed up Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston during FSU’s run to the national title.

Coker came to UA with a lot of hype and was practically anointed as the starter in media reports before fall practice even began. It came

down to Blake Sims and Coker competing for the starting nod.

Many were surprised when Sims played every snap in UA’s season-opening victory over West Virginia, but the two candidates split snaps in early-September games against Florida Atlantic and Southern Miss before Sims finally settled as the clear winner.

Lane Kiffin, offensive coordinator: From the first day we got here there were a lot of questions about Blake, how he would perform, whether he was even a quarterback. Brought in a transfer that the assumption was that the transfer, Jake, would be the starting quarterback.

And never once did Blake bring that up.

Never once did he question that. All he did was go to work.

Nick Saban, head coach: I would like to see somebody take the Jake Coker, bull by the horns from a leadership standjunior quarterback: point, a consistency standpoint and win Blake’s always been really good to me. the job here sometime. But we’re not going He was the first guy to come up to me and to make a decision until somebody does welcome me to the program and introduce that. himself on my visits. He’s a special guy.

Continued

staff photo | michelle lepianka carter

Alabama quarterback Blake Sims (6) carries the ball during the second quarter against Southern Miss on Sept. 13, 2014.

Sims was 12 of 17 passing for 168 yards and two touchdowns in the Crimson Tide’s 52-12 victory. He also had a rushing TD.

Blake Sims, senior quarterback: Even when that stuff was going on, we just stayed as mutual friends. We’re very good friends. We didn’t stop talking to each other when (the competition) was going on, we helped each other out.

Former college and NFL coach Butch Davis visited Alabama practice in August in his role as an ESPN analyst, and kept a close eye on the quarterback play.

Davis: At the time, just in throwing the ball and doing seven-on-seven (drills) — nothing to do with any kind of pressure or blitz periods or those kinds of things — I actually went there expecting to see a team that maybe had no idea or maybe didn’t even have a quarterback. I left thinking that they had two potential really good quarterbacks.

Nick Perry, senior safety: We made our mission to go out there and make each quarterback, put him in the worst position possible and make their day miserable. That’s what they’re going to get on Saturdays, so we didn’t take it easy on anybody.

DeAndrew White, senior wide receiver: Before Jake got here I didn’t know what he could do or what all he was capable of.

I’d heard of him. When he got here it was a great competition, both of them competed very good.

Kiffin: It was interesting because obviously we didn’t have Jake right away. It’s almost like being in the NFL and having some veterans and then having a draft pick that’s not there yet, or someone that you trade for.

So it wasn’t really a battle right away.

Really, Blake got his opportunity in the Davis: spring, Jake got more of an opportunity That particular day I thought Jacob in the fall.

Coker really threw the ball extraordinarily well. His deep balls and a lot of things that Coker: he did, he probably that day maybe outI came in there in May and I was workperformed or looked like he had a little bit ing on getting that playbook down from better day than Blake Sims did. the beginning. Really until you start practicing and going full speed, it’s nothing Perry: like staring at plays (on paper) and lookWe didn’t pick sides (in practice), we just ing at film. wanted to go out and make plays on the ball. If Blake was throwing the ball, I’m Kiffin: trying to intercept it or I’m trying to sack There were times when (Sims) was getBlake. If Jake Coker’s throwing throwing ting less reps than Jake was, which is very the ball, I’m trying to pick it off. difficult for a quarterback to accept after We were doing the same thing to both having been here for four years, going on of them. As a defense we’re all playing our his fifth year. best and trying to see which one is truly All Blake did was respond by practicing, the best quarterback. preparing like the starting quarterback and worrying about what he could conCoker got the majority of repetitions in fall trol. camp by design, to give coaches a feel for what he could do. Sims impressed his peers and the staff with his attitude.

Continued

staff photo | michelle lepianka carter

Jake Coker saw action in the Southern Miss game and was 5 of 7 passing for 46 yards. The previous week against Florida Atlantic, Coker was 15 of 24 passing for 202 yards with a touchdown.

Davis: You don’t know behind the scenes leadership and familiarity with the offense and all the things that come with that. You stay and watch 15 days (of practice) and you may come away with a different perception.

Sims: How I looked at it was take my weakness and try to turn it into my strengths, and how can I better myself and my teammates.

Coker: I just went out and practiced the same as I did at Florida State. It’s just part of it.

When it comes down to it, it’s just football.

Sims emerged as the starter for the season opener. His stronger performance in the final preseason scrimmage might have been the deciding factor.

Kiffin: on. Every day there is communication The plan was to play both guys whether about reps and what we’re doing. Ultimately it was his decision as head coach, it was that (West Virginia) game or the first couple of games. We were going to play like all the positions, to go with Blake. them both almost as if it was like you would in the NFL in preseason, not that Coker: I guess you learn patience. That’s one of we were playing lesser opponents but that the biggest things you can learn, and I we want to see both play. guess just staying focused. You can’t lose Coker: the focus because you never know when It was a new experience trying to get you’re going to get called to go in there. comfortable with everybody and plays and timing and everything like that, getDavis: When they started the season and Blake ting a lot thrown on you, but I feel like I was the quarterback, you made the as- got pretty comfortable. sumption that Blake got it because he’s Sims: been here for the longer period of time, the I just got a lot of confidence and tried to other players he’s probably popular in the locker room, guys like him, he’s got a little change some things up and tried to be bit more mobility than Jacob Coker that more calm in the pocket. allows him to extend plays and stuff.

Kiffin: You just assume in week one, from an Blake really just took off and ran with analyst’s standpoint, this is why they it. chose him.

White: Perry: The competition, however, wasn’t over yet.

Blake had a pretty good scrimmage. Each quarterback got his chance in the Florida He’s one of the most liked guys on the Coker kind of had a couple of errors here Atlantic and Southern Miss games. Sims com- team. He’s definitely one of my favorite or there. pleted 24 of 31 attempts for 396 yards and four teammates out there. He’s a team player. touchdowns over the two games, while Coker Kiffin: completed 20 of 31 passes for 248 yards and a Coach (Saban) obviously is very hands- touchdown. Neither threw an interception.

Continued

Coker: There was obviously a lot of hype during the offseason, and you can’t help but pull for the guy: one of the best dudes, it’s his fifth year, last year, you just can’t help pulling for the guy.

Arie Kouandjio, senior offensive lineman: He’s had to go against a bunch of naysayers and a bunch of negativity.

Those kind of things are sometimes hard to deal with as a player when everybody in the world is talking down on you for no reason.

Coker: I got every opportunity.

Davis: As the season went along you saw him get better and better and performing under pressure — and the season that they ended up having — you could clearly say that they made the right decision.

White: I think the coaches made the best choice for the team.

Coker didn’t win the starting job, but he got another opportunity when Sims was shaken up in Alabama’s victory over Florida in the fourth game of the season. Coker came off the bench to finish an important touchdown drive late in the third quarter, throwing a 4-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper for his only completion.

Coker: It meant a lot to me, but it’s pretty easy handing off to T.J. (Yeldon) and Derrick (Henry) a lot of that drive. It’s nice having two guys who can run the ball and you’ve got guys up front who can block the way they block.

Then I just toss it up to an All-American.

Sims: I think he’s a great guy and I think he’s going to be a great quarterback. He’s going to get even better for going through this whole year in the system.

Saban: I thought Jake did a great job when Blake got hurt and he went in there. He finished the drive and ended up scoring a touchdown on that drive, which was at a critical time in the game as well.

staff photo | michelle lepianka carter

The quarterback competition that began in fall camp between Jake Coker, left, and Blake Sims was a back-and-forth ride, but Sims was able to perform better during scrimmages and eventually he won the job.

Coker: It was fun, it was definitely an experience. It was really important to the team, it was important to me. It was a special moment.