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Alabama QB Jake Coker had a rocky start with the Crimson Tide. In 2014, after transferring from Florida State, he lost the quarterback competition to former Tide QB Blake Sims. In 2015, the competition between Coker and QB Cooper Bateman started in the spring, and Coker didn’t officially win the spot until Week 4.
What has changed since Week 1 to turn Coker into a quality QB?
The transformation seemed to have happened after/during the loss to Ole Miss, but if you look at the numbers, his performance still looks consistent.
The numbers tell us that while Coker’s statistics may not have changed much, he has evolved as an SEC quarterback. The Tide coaches can be credited with triggering this evolution.
First of all, while competition can be healthy, it can also crush a player’s confidence. Coach Nick Saban handed Coker his confidence back when he finally made the decision to end the quarterback battle between Coker and Bateman in Week 4.
Throughout the 2015 competition, Coker was the QB who could pass and Bateman was the QB that could run. The labels seemed to rule them, except Coker continued to have trouble completing passes.
The second big way the coaches have fostered Coker’s improvement is by letting him play his own game. While he has been known to struggle with accuracy, he has always proven his arm strength. As the season has progressed, Coker has gotten more comfortable with his receivers, especially WR Calvin Ridley, and that has worked wonders for the on-field chemistry.
Early in the season, he tried to force a lot of throws. He had obvious struggles scrambling, and his slide was painfully awkward.
As it turns out, Coker doesn’t like to slide when there’s no play.
“I don’t believe in sliding,” Coker said.
He made that clear against Texas A&M. Coker stands at 6-foot-5, 232 pounds, and he can deliver a hit with the best of them.
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“Jake’s a tough, competitive guy,” Saban said. “He’s a big, physical guy. He’s getting better every week. So I don’t want to take his aggressiveness away because we’re fearful something bad is going to happen.”
Now that the Tide coaches have gotten 100 percent behind Coker and given him the leeway to play his way, Coker will continue to improve. He has the physicality necessary to survive in the SEC, he has the arm to make big plays, and now he has the confidence to carry him through the rest of the season.
