Alabama Looking For A Transfer QB? One Report Says It's 'Believed' Tide Has Collective Eyes On Miami Starter

Spring practice is coming to an end for the rest of college football this weekend, with Alabama scheduled to play on Saturday. According to one report, Nick Saban could be looking for another quarterback, in Miami's Tyler Van Dyke.

The ongoing discussion revolving around Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson as the Tide quarterback has sprung a number of different opinions. There is certainly a quarterback battle happening in Tuscaloosa, but there are reports that Alabama might be looking towards the transfer portal.

Update: Miami football put out a tweet on Thursday night, signaling that Tyler Van Dyke would be return, almost confirming that the quarterback got his NIL money. Also, the school turned off the ability to reply, which adds another layer to this weird scenario.

Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is reportedly unhappy with his current NIL situation. This led to multiple collectives reaching out to Tyler's reps at Rosenhaus Sports to gauge the interest in a transfer, according to the report.

One of those schools 'believed' to be having conversations is Alabama. I will say, Nick Saban is not going to risk his reputation over a decent quarterback. Also, I can promise you that Saban is in control of what happens with NIL inside his football program.

In todays NIL world, situations like this will continue to play out. If a player is not happy with his current NIL deal at one school, putting out word that a major school is flirting with you behind the scenes is one way to get more money.

It feels as if this could've been the case with Tyler Van Dyke, with agents knowing how to push the right buttons. But, the NIL era can make some collectives do some crazy things.

But, that doesn't mean a collective member won't reach out to gauge the interest through backchannels. The current quarterback situation at Alabama is not perfect, considering what they've had to work with in the past.

"Sources have told CaneSport for many months that the Van Dyke camp has been frustrated that it has not been able to land a massive NIL haul at Miami, where the effort has been more spread out as opposed to centered on one player," On3 is reporting about the Miami quarterback.

Does Alabama Really Need Miami's Tyler Van Dyke?

Sure, Tyler Van Dyke won ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2021, throwing for 2,931 yards and 25 touchdowns. He injured his shoulder in 2022, but has recovered and looked decent in the Canes Spring game. If anything, Alabama is looking for depth at the room, but I am still having a hard time buying it.

Yes, collectives can reach out with their non-traceable phones and gauge the interest of a player that is thinking of hitting the portal. But, this almost feels like a ploy to get Van Dyke more money at Miami, while throwing Alabama's name out there would cause a bit of concern.

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 17: Tyler Van Dyke #9 of the Miami Hurricanes throws a pass against the Texas A&M Aggies during the first half of the game at Kyle Field on September 17, 2022 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)

So, the looming question is which side to believe. The report goes on to state that new Alabama OC Tommy Rees has a past relationship with Tyler Van Dyke, which could go a long way if this is true.

But in reality, this sounds like a young man who isn't happy with his Lifewallet deal with John Ruiz and NIL ventures, looking to cash-in before summer workouts begin and stay with his current program.

On the other side, maybe Alabama is 'quietly' reaching out to Tyler Van Dyke in hopes of adding further competition to the quarterback room. My money is on the first scenario, but in the new transfer portal era, anything is possible.