NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Alabama’s next starting quarterback will be… announced at another time. Or maybe it won’t. Regardless, we aren’t any closer to knowing who will line up behind center for the Crimson Tide this season following Nick Saban’s appearance at SEC Media Days on Wednesday.

Saban says the process of deciding on a new starter is a bit like when his grandmother used to bake a cake.

“You know Grandma Saban used to cook the best cakes in the world,” Saban said. “And I used to stand by the oven when I was a kid and say ‘When’s this cake going to be done?’ And she said ‘If I don’t let it go through and take it out of the oven too soon, it’s going to turn to mush so it won’t be a really good cake. So I think we got to let this sort of develop and make sure we let the cake bake until somebody separates themselves.”

After losing former Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young to the NFL Draft, Alabama’s three main contenders for the starting quarterback role include redshirt sophomore Jalen Milroe, redshirt freshman Ty Simpson and Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner.

“We have three guys that are competing for that position right now,” Saban said. “All of those players are getting better... I don’t think anybody has actually separated themselves yet to this point and I don’t think that it’s something that we’re trying to rush.”

Milroe, who filled in for an injured Young against Arkansas and Texas A&M last year, spent the majority of the spring as Alabama’s first-team quarterback and worked with the first-team offense during the A-Day scrimmage. Simpson, the No. 3 pro-style quarterback in last year’s recruiting class, made four appearances in mop-up duty during his freshman season. Buchner joined the Crimson Tide after its spring camp but spent the past two years under new Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees at Notre Dame.

Alabama will begin its preseason camp in early August as it prepares for its season opener against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 2 inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.

"When somebody separates themselves — and nobody knows for sure when that is, and I can't establish a timetable to say on this date, we're going to say this is the starter," Saban said. "It's going to happen when it happens. And that's the way it'll be."

Saban also made sure to note the importance of having quality depth at the quarterback position.

Milroe helped Alabama to wins over Arkansas and Texas A&M last season while Young was dealing with a shoulder injury. Entering midway through the second quarter against the Razorbacks, Milroe finished the game completing 4 of 9 passes for 65 yards and a touchdown while adding 91 yards and a score on six carries. During his first career start against Texas A&M the following week, the dual-threat quarterback went 12-for-91 as a passer, throwing for 111 yards and three touchdowns with an interception. He also added 81 yards on 17 carries.

"We're focusing on how do we develop the players that we have. We want to develop all the players," Saban said. "Everybody wants to know who the starter is, but what about the backup guy that has to go in and play like Jalen Milroe did last year against Texas A&M, how he finished the Arkansas game? It's important that all these guys continue to develop and everybody at that position develops into where they can play winning football.

"I used the cake analogy because it's not done yet. There's not a decision that needs to be made at this point in time, nor are we ready to make that decision at this point in time until somebody separates themselves."