BAMANEWSBOT
Staff
Not much surprises Nick Saban.
The Alabama football coach is the first to say that, but at least one thing stood out after three weeks of the 2014 season.
"I've been really surprised, in a good way, with the way Blake Sims has played," Saban said on his Thursday night radio show. "The confidence that he's gained and the way he's played. The leader that he's become and how he's affected his teammates and how they trust and believe in him."
The fifth-year senior has started all three games so far and will do so again at 2:30 p.m. Saturday against Florida. After a rough A-Day Game and with Florida State transfer Jacob Cokerarriving in May, Saban could see how others viewed the competition."
"There was a time around here where I know none of our fans and most of our players probably didn't think Blake could be the quarterback, so he's disproved a lot of people in terms of the way he's played," Saban said. "He's got a lot of challenges ahead of him, playing against better people, but he's certainly done everything that you could ask any player to do to represent his position and the leadership of his position as well as anybody really could."
Sims has completed 75 percent of his passes (48 of 64) for four touchdowns and one interception. He's also the team's third leading rusher while avoiding sacks through three games. Coker has come off the bench in all three games, but hasn't won the starting job so many expected was his.
"I will say this, and out of all respect for Jake, if Jake had been here for a longer time and had the opportunity to develop the relationships and the report and had the comfort and confidence in the terminology and all that, I think he would be much further along now as a player as well. And I do think that's going to be a little bit of a work in progress, but it's going to be very important because there may be some time where he has to play and we need him to play."
Coker's thrown the ball 31 times with 20 completions for 248 yards and a touchdown.
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The Alabama football coach is the first to say that, but at least one thing stood out after three weeks of the 2014 season.
"I've been really surprised, in a good way, with the way Blake Sims has played," Saban said on his Thursday night radio show. "The confidence that he's gained and the way he's played. The leader that he's become and how he's affected his teammates and how they trust and believe in him."
The fifth-year senior has started all three games so far and will do so again at 2:30 p.m. Saturday against Florida. After a rough A-Day Game and with Florida State transfer Jacob Cokerarriving in May, Saban could see how others viewed the competition."
"There was a time around here where I know none of our fans and most of our players probably didn't think Blake could be the quarterback, so he's disproved a lot of people in terms of the way he's played," Saban said. "He's got a lot of challenges ahead of him, playing against better people, but he's certainly done everything that you could ask any player to do to represent his position and the leadership of his position as well as anybody really could."
Sims has completed 75 percent of his passes (48 of 64) for four touchdowns and one interception. He's also the team's third leading rusher while avoiding sacks through three games. Coker has come off the bench in all three games, but hasn't won the starting job so many expected was his.
"I will say this, and out of all respect for Jake, if Jake had been here for a longer time and had the opportunity to develop the relationships and the report and had the comfort and confidence in the terminology and all that, I think he would be much further along now as a player as well. And I do think that's going to be a little bit of a work in progress, but it's going to be very important because there may be some time where he has to play and we need him to play."
Coker's thrown the ball 31 times with 20 completions for 248 yards and a touchdown.
Continue reading...
