This had to happen for Blake Barnett to have any chance of being Alabama's starting quarterback.

The former five-star recruit had to cut down on the interceptions, had to do a better job executing plays the way coaches wanted them and had to stop feeling like he needed to make a big play every time he was on the field.

He's improved in all three areas.

That's why three days before the No. 1 Tide opens the season against No. 20 USC the redshirt freshman is legitimately in the mix to be Alabama's starting quarterback. It's also why the Corona, California native recently told his private quarterback coach, George Whitfield: "My on-base percentage has increased."

What that means?

"Just making the solid play, making the solid read, making the solid decision has increased," said Whitfield, a respected quarterback coach who has trained star quarterbacks such as Cam Newton, Andrew Luck and Jameis Winston.

The spring was frustrating for Barnett, Whitfield said.

While Barnett was an efficient 9 of 16 for 112 yards without any interceptions during Alabama's spring game, he had six interceptions in the Tide's first two spring scrimmages. Three were returned for touchdowns.

That was after struggling with interceptions during scrimmages last year as a true freshman.

Barnett told Whitfield after the spring that he felt like he was pressing too much, that there were too many bad decisions that led to turnovers and that there were too many opportunities for good plays that he hadn't capitalized on.

So Barnett committed himself to improving, work that Whitfield believes is paying off.

There was an increased commitment to film study, to self-evaluation, to grasping the Tide's playbook and to being a better decision-maker. Barnett spent two of his three weeks off this summer working with Whitfield.

A big point of emphasis? Doing a better job playing within Alabama's system and simply checking down or throwing the ball away if a play isn't there to be made downfield.

There were one or two training sessions when Barnett worked strictly on going through his reads and checking the ball down.

The other big change Barnett has made? He's gotten a lot bigger, which was needed. The 6-foot-5 Barnett is up from 198 pounds during the spring to around 215.

"Some kids," Whitfield said, "will come out there and you'll see them and they'll ask, 'Do I look different?' And you're like, 'Did you cut your hair? What's the difference?' And they'll say, 'I'm five pounds bigger.' With Blake, it's easily noticeable. Easily noticeable. I was amazed watching him go from March to late May and June to July. He's 16, 18 pounds bigger. It's pretty startling."

Alabama coaches seem committed to taking advantage of what's likely one of the most talented wide receiver groups in the country. Barnett has a stronger arm than the other quarterback remaining in the competition, redshirt junior Cooper Bateman.

Barnett showed his arm talent during a practice that was open to the media in early August. Rolling left, the right-handed Barnett had a touchdown pass of nearly 40 yards to freshman Trevon Diggs, a perfectly placed strike that Diggs caught in stride near the sideline in the end zone.

Barnett threw two interceptions in the Tide's second and final fall scrimmage August 20, but one was intercepted after bouncing off of a receiver's hands.

"He's more confident I think in what he's doing," coach Nick Saban said of Barnett. "He's gotten bigger and stronger, and he's throwing the ball effectively. One of the strengths on our team, I feel, is the receivers, and we want to continue to try to have an offense that can create explosive plays through those guys. Blake has really been an effective passer for us, so we want to continue to try and develop him and see where his knowledge and experience will take him relative to whether we feel like he can be a winning player at that position or not."

As of Wednesday morning, it's still unclear which quarterback will start against USC and whether both will play at some point during the game. Both have worked with the first-team offense in practice during the last week. Saban said Wednesday they coaches were still evaluating their options before picking a starter.

"We're looking for consistency in performance at the position," Saban said. "I think the guy that does that the best this week will be the guy that'll give us the best chance to win, and that's kind of how we'll do this."

Something that could help Barnett win the job? Continuing to increase that "on-base percentage."

Whitfield recently sent Barnett a message, encouraging him to continue to push and compete.

Barnett's response: "Got you."

Better than yesterday, not as good as tomorrow. https://t.co/luTo0CnLID — B² (@Blake8Barnett) August 26, 2016

"He's gotten better in a lot of areas," said sophomore tight end Hale Hentges, one of Barnett's closest friends on the team. "Not to just specifically name one, but just from everything from reading defenses to coverage schemes to making better decisions. ... He's figuring out what it is to be an Alabama quarterback."