Alabama football is going to have a different quarterback running the show in Week 3. Reports suggest Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner will replace Jalen Milroe as the starter against USF on Saturday.
Milroe threw two costly interceptions against Texas as the Crimson Tide suffered a frustrating loss. So now, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is benching him in favor of a quarterback he might have had to bench at Notre Dame last year.
Buchner started the season as the starting quarterback for the Fighting Irish but he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 2 against Marshall and was replaced by Drew Pyne.
So was Buchner any good in South Bend?
Tyler Buchner stats at Notre Dame
Honestly, no. Buchner wasn't very good at Notre Dame.
The Irish lost their Week 1 matchup with Ohio State 21-10 as Buchner couldn't get the offense moving. He was 10-of-18 with 177 yards through the air. He wasn't much more effective with his legs, rushing for just 18 yards.
But Ohio State was a good team, so the panic button wasn't hit just yet.
Then Marshall happened. The Irish offense was even worse against the Thundering Herd. Buchner threw two interceptions while hitting just 18-of-32 pass attempts for 201 yards. He did score two touchdowns on the ground.
That's the story on Buchner so far. He is a dynamic rusher who can make defenses pay for not keeping him in the pocket. However, as a passer, his penchant for throwing interceptions has gotten him into trouble.
As a freshman in 2021, Buchner saw significant action in Notre Dames narrow win over Virginia Tech and thew two picks.
The big question for Rees and Alabama is whether Buchner's experience in his system will make him a more effective quarterback than Milroe managed to be against the Longhorns.
