Alabama adds grad transfer Gardner Minshew as quarterback insurance
Alabama added Gardner Minshew from East Carolina who will be a veteran backup and provide insurance in case Jalen Hurts or Tua Tagovailoa transfers.
The reigning national champions got a little better today with the addition of former East Carolina starting quarterback Gardner Minshew. The news was fires reported by Sports Illustrated’s Bruce Feldman who notes he will report to campus in May, so he will not be present for the Crimson Tide’s spring practice.
Minshew took over for the departed Thomas Sirk in 2017, his lone season as the starter, completing 174-of-304 passes for 2,140 yards, 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He joins Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa in a crowded quarterback room. As a graduate transfer, Minshew is eligible to play this season, but with the depth chart as it is, he’s unlikely to see any meaningful game action, but that’s not a deterrent to Minshew who welcomes the opportunity to compete with those two guys and to soak up as much knowledge he can from Nick Saban and the rest of the coaching staff.
When Minshew finishes his collegiate career, he tells Feldman that he’d like to get into coaching so this could amount to a coaching internship of sorts.
“I want to get into coaching after my playing career is done, Minshew tells SI. Being around that atmosphere and to be around Coach Saban would be such an invaluable experience.”
Minshew could still find himself pressed into duty should the depth chart look a bit different come summer camp. There have been rumors and speculation that Hurts could elect to transfer after he was pulled in the second half of the National Championship Game for Tagovailoa who threw the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime. But I don’t think neither Hurts nor Tagovailoa will transfer and I think it’ll be an ultra-competitive quarterback competition in the spring and summer, and into the season, so that leaves Minshew to hold a clipboard and serve as an unofficial grad assistant quarterback coach.
Should one of the two elect to transfer, Alabama should feel comfortable with Minshew as the backup. Think of him as Jake Coker, ready for his opportunity, and if it comes, he’ll be ready to make the most of it.
To his credit, Minshew tells SI he’ll be the best teammate he can be regardless of playing time and what the depth chart says. That’s a testament to the character he brings to the team and the quarterback room. He’ll be an asset to Alabama even if he never throws a pass in a game.