What Blake Barnett's transfer means for Alabama moving foward, if anything

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/781277351858536450

The headline isn't as surprising as the timing -- four games into the Alabama redshirt freshman season. Quarterbacks transfer, just not in September.

So what's all this mean for Alabama?

Barnett was the solid No. 2 behind Jalen Hurts in a competition that clearly ran into the season. The Tide still has two scholarship quarterbacks backing up Hurts -- Cooper Bateman and David Cornwell.

Here's the thing: Jalen Hurts has more planned runs than Alabama quarterbacks of the past. The Tide hasn't had a passer miss a start because of injury, but Greg McElroy and AJ McCarron didn't operate like Hurts.

There was more of a safety net with Barnett in the mix. Without him, does Lane Kiffin scheme up a more conservative game plan?

The first indication will [or more probably will not] come at 6 p.m. CT Saturday when Kentucky comes to Bryant-Denny Stadium. The next three opponents are top 20 teams followed by a trip to LSU.

There was more of a safety net with Barnett in the mix. Without him, does Lane Kiffin scheme up a more conservative game plan?

Barnett's departure ends a brief Alabama tenure that began in 2015 with much fanfare. The Southern California import was the highest-rated quarterback to arrive in Tuscaloosa since Phillip Sims in 2010.

It also has ramifications for the future. Having a true freshman win a starting job typically doesn't help recruiting efforts in that position. The Tide didn't do well in that realm when McCarron got the job as a sophomore in 2011. Alabama does have two highly-rated passers -- Tua Tagovaiola and Mac Jones [a former UK pledge] -- committed to the 2017 class.

It's also worth noting he's the second five-star member of the 2015 signing class to leave since practice started. Defensive back Kendall Sheffield left in early August. Receiver Daylon Charlot left a few weeks earlier.

But September transfers are even less normal. How Alabama's offense responds will be the story to follow moving forward.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/781604511785836544

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/RainerSabin/status/781638810287366145

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/784016181481054208

We have confidence in Cooper Bateman as a backup quarterback. We don't want to get Jalen Hurts hurt or anything. We're going to continue to take advantage of his skillset. We can't worry about guys getting hurt. It's football.