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Lane Kiffin compares Alabama's Tagovailoa to Steve Young

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterback has rarely been seen as Alabama's strongest position under Nick Saban, but heading into next season, the Crimson Tide are blessed with a depth chart similar to the famous San Francisco 49ers teams of the late 1980s.

Not only will star sophomore Jalen Hurts return for his second season as starter, but the Crimson Tide also added highly-touted recruit Tua Tagovailoa to the fold as his backup.

The Bill Walsh-coached outfit started the legendary Joe Montana, with future MVP Steve Young waiting in the wings. According to former Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, the understudy role isn't the only way Tagovailoa resembles Young.

"He's going to be a phenomenal player, best comparison I think would probably be Steve Young," Kiffin, now head coach at Florida Atlantic, said on Alabama's SEC Country podcast. "Smooth release like that, not super fast but really quick feet and quick release."

Hurts' starting role isn't in doubt, but Tagovailoa certainly didn't come to the SEC powerhouse to sit on the bench. That could create a sticky situation for Saban, who will have to ensure he keeps both players happy - something Kiffin acknowledged could be difficult.

"It's tough, everyone wants to play but it's the one position only one guy can play at a time," he said. "I just know no matter what it is, coach Saban will figure out the best way to handle it. It's a great problem to have, one that's very foreign, to have two guys that talented, that young."

If the 2017 schedule plays out similar to 2016, Tagovailoa will have plenty of opportunities to play during the regular season. Alabama won 11 of 12 games by double digits, which led to increased playing time for every backup.

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