Jalen Hurts compiled a 26-2 record as Alabama's starting quarterback during the 2016-17 seasons before being replaced by Tua Tagovailoa and eventually transferring to Oklahoma.
Tagovailoa has assembled a 21-1 mark as the Crimson Tide starter but will miss this week's game against visiting Arkansas due to the high-ankle sprain he suffered during Saturday night's 35-13 triumph over Tennessee.
Enter Mac Jones and his 0-0 record.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound redshirt sophomore from Jacksonville, Florida, is taking the reins this week and will try to guide the top-ranked Crimson Tide to an 8-0 start and the program's 89th consecutive victory over an unranked foe. The Razorbacks are 2-5 overall and have lost 15 straight Southeastern Conference games.
"I think it's important that, when you have a new quarterback, that he has a chance to prepare and that you can clearly define the things that you want to do with him in the game so he gets a good visual picture," Tide coach Nick Saban said Monday during his weekly news conference.
Jones has completed 20 of 32 passes this season for 237 yards with one touchdown and one interception. After replacing Tagovailoa against Tennessee, he was 6-for-11 for 72 yards.
"He didn't do anything that really hurt us in the game," Saban said. "He had two balls that were dropped that were in critical situations. He scrambled on third down when he could have thrown the ball, because the guy was open, and it could have been a first down. All in all, I thought he handled the situation really well.
"It was a difficult circumstance to get thrown into, and with a week of preparation I think he'll do a lot better in this game."
In Alabama's best-case scenario, Saturday night will be the one and only start of the season for Jones. The Tide are off next week and then will host No. 2 LSU on Nov. 9, with Tagovailoa very possible for that showdown given the "full and speedy recovery" that Saban has projected.
Tagovailoa injured his right ankle against the Volunteers, which is the opposite ankle that hindered him late last season, and he underwent a procedure Sunday.
"The expectation is that he will be non-weight-bearing for several days, and then he'll be able to come back as his rehab allows him," Saban said. "We're hopeful that in a 10-day period that he'll be able to do active-type rehab, and we'll see how it goes from there. These things are pretty unpredictable."
Saban said Monday that it is important for true freshman backup Taulia Tagovailoa, Tua's younger brother, to progress this week as well.
Alabama is a five-touchdown favorite Saturday even in the elder Tagovailoa's absence, and Jones' teammates are not expecting a dip in performance. The Tide have scored 155 combined points in their past three meetings with Arkansas.
"We have trust in anybody," junior receiver Henry Ruggs III said. "We're all a team. We practice together. With everybody at every position, we have confidence in anybody."
Tide tidbits
Alabama has an all-time record of 84-13-1 at homecoming with 16 consecutive wins. ... The 2009 BCS championship team will be recognized before Saturday's game. ... Saban said left tackle Alex Leatherwood had his "best game overall" against Tennessee. ... Junior safety Xavier McKinney is among the 14 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back. ... Alabama's game against LSU has been picked up by CBS and will have a 3:30 p.m. EST kickoff.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.