HOOVER, Ala. -- Alabama is breaking in a new starting quarterback for the third consecutive season.
It hasn't been much of a problem so far.
Alabama is the only team to make the College Football Playoffs in the four-team format's first two years.
In 2014, Blake Sims converted from running back to quarterback for the Crimson Tide and started every game as Alabama won the SEC title and finished 12-2 with a loss to eventual national champion Ohio State.
Last season Jake Coker -- a Florida State transfer who was Sims' backup -- helped Alabama go 14-1, win the SEC title and beat Clemson for the national championship.
"It's the third straight year, so we're used to it by now," Alabama senior tight end O.J. Howard said at SEC media days about the quarterback turnover. "We're going to do the same thing we did the first two years and go through the process with these quarterbacks.
"It's basically, whoever wins the team over with his leadership skills and his ability to play will be our quarterback."
Four quarterbacks are in the mix to start going into fall camp: redshirt junior Cooper Bateman; redshirt freshman Blake Barnett; true freshman Jalen Hurts; and redshirt sophomore David Cornell.
"Somebody's got to win that job," Alabama Coach Nick Saban said. "Somebody's got to win the team.
"I'm not going to sit here and give you statistics on how the race is going and who's ahead, are they in the backstretch or the final turn.
"That's something that's probably going to happen in fall camp. I hope in fall camp."
Bateman is the only quarterback with playing experience. He made his lone start in the Tide's 43-37 loss to Ole Miss last season and completed 11 of 14 passes for 87 yards with an interception before Coker -- who had started the first two games -- came off the bench to replace him. Coker kept the job the rest of the season and finished 14-0 as a starter.
"Cooper's doing a great job," Howard said. "He's being more vocal because he's older. He's leading the huddle.
"He's doing the right thing on the field as far as making decisions. If he needs to throw the ball away, he will. He's not going to force anything. He's grown a lot as a player."
Neither Sims nor Coker was selected in the NFL Draft, so whoever is the Tide's starting quarterback this season likely doesn't need to be a playmaker, just someone who can run the offense effectively and limit mistakes.
Alabama looks to have another loaded roster with 11 players voted to the three All-SEC teams at media days, including seven first-teamers in Howard, offensive tackle Cam Robinson, wide receiver Calvin Ridley, defensive end Jonathan Allen, linebacker Reuben Foster, strong safety Eddie Jackson and punter JK Scott.
Saban expressed some concern that for the first time in his 10 seasons at Alabama the team doesn't return one of its top two rushers with the loss of Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake.
Sophomores Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris get the chance to show what they can do as running backs. Both were five-star recruits in high school.
"I'm out there every day with those guys working in the summer time, and I see how Bo and Damien are progressing," Howard said. "I think we'll be fine at running back."
Alabama is ranked No. 1 nationally in several preseason polls -- including ESPN, The Sporting News, Athlon's and Lindy's -- as the Tide try to win their fifth national championship under Saban since 2009.
Allen said despite the hype and success surrounding Alabama, he doesn't detect complacency.
"I've seen a lot of hunger in this team," said Allen, a senior who has 18 career sacks. "The biggest thing at Alabama is that if you don't have hunger, then you're not going to start this year.
"Coach Saban isn't going to do anything that's a detriment to the team, so you have to come with intensity every day and prove why you deserve to play."
Howard said the players know they can't live off past victories.
"This team hasn't done anything yet," he said. "We have to establish ourselves."
Howard is confident offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin will establish a winning quarterback just as he did the previous two seasons to keep the Tide in position to win more SEC and national championships.
"Coach Kiffin has always put those guys in position where they could be effective and that allowed them to get the ball to the playmakers," Howard said. "He's going to do the same thing this year whatever quarterback it is."
Sports on 07/17/2016