When Cooper Bateman practiced at receiver for several days this past spring at Alabama, it was natural to assume that his chances of being the next Crimson Tide starting quarterback were over.
Bateman, apparently, didn't share that sentiment when he met with coach Nick Saban.
"I told him, 'If you're going to be a quarterback, we want you to improve your accuracy as a passer and your ability to take care of the ball,'" Saban said Thursday night in a news conference after practice. "I told him, 'You're very athletic, and you're the kind of quarterback we would like to have here,' and low and behold, he did that.
"He did that in May, and he did that over the summer."
Alabama quarterback Cooper Bateman (18) works through drills during NCAA college football practice, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015, at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Vasha Hunt/AL.com via AP) MAGAZINES OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Jacob Coker and David Cornwell were Alabama's top two quarterbacks coming out of spring, but Saban said Thursday that Coker, Bateman and Alec Morris have received the bulk of the workload this week. The Crimson Tide practiced for two hours in full pads and will turn their full attention today to next Saturday's opener against Wisconsin in the AdvoCare Classic in Arlington, Texas.
The bracketing of Coker, Bateman and Morris leaves the two youngest quarterbacks, Cornwell and early enrollee Blake Barnett, out of the mix for now. Saban did not mention Cornwell last Wednesday or Saturday when discussing the quarterbacks but was asked specifically Thursday about the redshirt freshman.
"He struggled early on in camp," Saban said. "He's certainly getting better all the time, and we have a lot of confidence that he'll be a good player in the future."
Saban praised Morris after Saturday's second scrimmage and was quick on Thursday to compliment Bateman, a 6-foot-3, 220-pounder from Murray, Utah. Bateman was rated by 247Sports.com as the No. 5 pro-style quarterback in the 2013 signing class, while ESPN listed him at No. 3.
After redshirting in 2013, Bateman got on the field last season as Alabama's holder, and he was perfect on 87 holds (22 field goals and 65 extra points).
"His completion percentage has been very, very good relative to the other guys," Saban said. "He can run, and we like a quarterback like that."
Saban said the plan is to get two quarterbacks ready for the opener and a third on a limited basis. He added that playing two quarterbacks against the Badgers is not out of the question and admitted to being surprised by the attention this race has received.
Alabama played two quarterbacks, AJ McCarron and Phillip Sims, to open the 2011 season.
"Do you have to do this a certain way?" Saban said. "If you don't have a starting quarterback, you can't get ready to play well? If you play more than one guy, you can't play good?
"I have confidence in our guys that we will play well in the game. How we're going to play them in the game, I haven't decided."
Tide tidbits
Right tackle Dominick Jackson was back at practice. Cornerback Bradley Sylve practiced this week with a cast on his hand but will have the cast removed next week. The Tide will practice today and Saturday and take Sunday off.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.