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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama coach Nick Saban won't say who will start at quarterback against No. 20 USC on Saturday, but he did narrow the options to two on Monday. "Cooper Bateman and Blake Barnett are the two guys we're getting ready to play in this game," Saban said. "And that's the way it's going to be for right now. We're going to continue to try to develop all our guys. "When we make this choice, when we make this decision, it's with what's going to give us the best chance to win this game, but it's also about future development of our players." Bateman, a fourth-year junior, is the No. 1 Crimson Tide's only quarterback who has attempted a pass at the college level, completing 37 of 52 attempts last season with one touchdown and two interceptions. He played extensively in Alabama's first three games last season, starting against Ole Miss in Week 3, but ultimately lost the starting job to Jake Coker, who went on to throw for 3,000 yards and lead Alabama to a national championship. Barnett, a former five-star recruit from California, is the highest-rated quarterback prospect Saban has signed at Alabama. He redshirted last season.  The odd man out in the competition is true freshman Jalen Hurts, who created buzz throughout fall camp. The dual-threat quarterback and former four-star prospect wasn't ruled out to play this season by Saban, but the coach did acknowledge that Hurts' understanding of the entire offense wasn't where it needed to be. "The big thing with Cooper is he has a great knowledge of the offense, really manages things well because of his knowledge and experience," Saban said. "I think he's continued to improve his passing ability, and we have a lot of confidence in him." Narrowing the field of candidates to two is a start, but figuring out a starter might not happen before or even after game time. In each of the past three quarterback competitions at Alabama, Saban has rotated players in games until one separated himself. Saban said getting a true evaluation on the quarterbacks is impossible at this point. "I can't tell you how they're going to play in the game," Saban said. "Especially the guys that haven't played in a game."
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