Nick Saban has long stated that it’s his desire to add a quarterback to each recruiting class. With Alabama not landing a signal caller in its 2018 class, Saban said he’d explore adding a graduate-transfer quarterback to accomplish that goal.
Saban landed that target Wednesday afternoon when East Carolina graduate transfer Gardner Minshew pledged to the Crimson Tide, The Tuscaloosa News has learned. AL.com first reported the news.
He graduated after the fall semester with a communications degree and will be eligible to play immediately.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound quarterback played in 10 games, starting in five games last season. He threw for 2,140 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
On Nov. 4, Minshew set new single-game records for ECU and the American Athletic Conference with a 52-of-68, 463-yard performance at Houston.
He led Northwest Mississippi Community College to the 2015 NJCAA national title before transferring to ECU.
Minshew will be the fourth scholarship quarterback on the Alabama roster. It also gives the team insurance in case either Jalen Hurts or Tua Tagovailoa transfer if the other is named the starter. Mac Jones is the other quarterback currently on the Alabama roster.
Minshew had also drawn interest from other programs, including Tennessee.
TideSports’ Ehsan Kassim contributed to this report.
