Saban confident transferring backup QBs will remain for playoff run

Alabama head coach Nick Saban believes both of his backup quarterbacks will remain with the team throughout its run in the College Football Playoff, despite their impending transfers.

Backup quarterbacks Cooper Bateman and David Cornwell have both indicated they will leave the program at the end the year. However, when asked whether or not the quarterbacks would be available during the Crimson Tide’s run in the playoff, Saban seemed confident they would still be with the team.

“Oh yeah, absolutely. They have every intention of finishing the season,” Saban said during a joint news conference with the four other CFP coaches at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. “I think being in their situations where a young guy won the job this year that these guys wanna play someplace.”

If both quarterbacks were to transfer before the end of the season, it would leave true freshman starter Jalen Hurts as the only scholarship quarterback on the Tide’s roster. Blake Barnett, who started the season-opener at quarterback for Alabama, transferred from the program after four games.

Since Barnett’s departure, Bateman has served as the Tide’s primary backup, completing 12 of 14 passes this season for 119 yards and a touchdown. Cornwell battled with a foot injury earlier this season, limiting his chances and derailing his hopes of winning the starting job. While appearing in a couple of games for mop-up duty, he has yet to attempt a pass this season.

“Cooper’s a graduate, so he’ll be a graduate transfer, and we’re very supportive of these guys,” Saban explained Thursday. “They’ve done a fantastic job for us, and we hope that they get a good opportunity and a chance to play someplace. But they will be with our team, and they’re all interested in finishing the season with us.”

This story was originally published December 9, 2016 at 2:43 PM with the headline "Saban confident transferring backup QBs will remain for playoff run."