Who will start at quarterback for Alabama football? There’s a better question to ask

Let's talk cake.
Nick Saban did in Nashville. He shared that carrot cake is his favorite, and he told the story of his grandmother Anna Saban who "used to bake the best cakes in the world," Saban said. The future Alabama football coach would stand by the oven, continually asking when the cake would be done. Grandma Saban would stress if she took the cake out of the oven too soon, it would turn to mush.
Saban used this story as an analogy for the quarterback competition between Ty Simpson, Jalen Milroe and Tyler Buchner, emphasizing the Crimson Tide needed to allow it to play out and "let the cake bake until somebody separates themselves."
Following this analogy, there are two primary questions: When will the cake be ready? Perhaps Sept. 2 or Sept. 9. And what type of cake will it be? Red velvet? Carrot cake? Cheesecake? Strawberry shortcake? Birthday cake? Translated to football: When will Saban announce a starter, and who will be the starting quarterback?
Those are the low-hanging fruit questions, though. There's a better question to ask — What does Alabama need its quarterback to be?
That should ultimately decide who starts for the majority of the 2023 season. All indications are the Crimson Tide doesn't need its quarterback to be Bryce Young, nor should that be the expectation. He's the first quarterback in program history to win the Heisman Trophy. Then, he ended up the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the first during Saban's time at Alabama.
Former offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien and the staff ran the offense around Young, which made sense. But having a quarterback of that caliber can become a crutch both in play calling and for the players around him. Many times, that didn't slow Alabama in 2022; Young could play super hero and will his way to making the offense work. Other times, the Crimson Tide needed more. Sometimes, other players stepped up. Too often not enough did, though.
The supporting cast around the starting quarterback this season figures to be improved, perhaps greatly. New additions such as running back Justice Haynes, receiver Malik Benson and tight end CJ Dippre figure to make an impact early. Plus, young receivers such as Isaiah Bond, Kendrick Law, Emmanuel Henderson and Kobe Prentice sit in a prime spot to take a big step forward in their sophomore seasons. Tight end Amari Niblack figures to have an opportunity to do the same in his sophomore season. With veterans such as running back Jase McClellan and receivers Ja'Corey Brooks and Jermaine Burton also in the fold, Alabama has plenty of intriguing weapons competing for snaps.
In other words, playmakers don't figure to be in short supply. Maybe not all will be big-time threats, but there should be enough who emerge from that group.
So where does Alabama's starting quarterback fit into the picture? That might change throughout the season and depend on the circumstance, but more likely than not, he needs to be the orchestra's conductor.
He doesn't have to play every instrument, nor does he need to be the best musician. Instead, he needs to keep everyone on the same page. Alabama's starting quarterback, with the depth UA has at running back, receiver and tight end, needs to let the playmakers make the plays. Meanwhile the quarterback must minimize mistakes such as turnovers, forcing plays and missing receivers.
Saban would call that playing winning football.
"Our quarterback is a unique position in that you distribute the ball on every play," Saban said in Nashville, "whether you hand it off, whether you choose the play that we run, whether you hand it off or whether you throw an advantaged throw, making decisions in the passing game to throw it to the right guys at the right time and the right place and accurately. So who can do that with the most consistency and be a leader on our team who has an impact on the other players is also important."
Saying Alabama needs a game manager probably is too simple and not completely accurate. There will be times he needs to make plays; it will just be less often than the offense under Young in 2022.
If the new quarterback becomes the point guard Alabama needs, this season the Crimson Tide might be able to enjoy a celebratory national-championship cake.