Tua and Jalen.

Jalen and Tua.

The whole Alabama quarterback situation is a two-man race for good reason. Both Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa proved capable of leading the Crimson Tide offense at certain points last season.

The third, less-talked-about scholarship quarterback, suddenly has a more prominent role in Alabama's spring practice. With Tagovailoa out at least for the time being with a hand injury, redshirt freshman Mac Jones will get a few extra snaps moving forward.

The Jacksonville, Fla., product hasn't performed in public since last season's A-Day game as an early enrollee. Since then, he's become a popular figure in the Alabama locker room known for his sense of humor.

Behind the walls protecting the Tide football facility, Jones is also showing progress as a passer entering his second season in Tuscaloosa.

"I think he gets lost in the Jalen and Tua hype, guys that have played this year " Alabama running back Damien Harris told AL.com before the Sugar Bowl. "But I don't know if people understand he's going to be a big-time playmaker someday. He has a strong arm. He has a great mind for the game and I think he'll really be successful one day once he gets his opportunity."

The 6-foot-2 quarterback came to Alabama as a three-star recruit from the Bolles School. Originally committed to Kentucky, Jones flipped to Alabama in the summer before his high school senior season.

Playing with the second-team offense in the 2017 spring game, Jones was 5-for-11 for 45 yards and two interceptions. Fellow rookie Kyriq McDonald picked off the second pass Jones threw, returning it nine yards inside the 20-yard line.

Hurts and Tagovailoa both put up big numbers in the public scrimmage typically known for the defense. The hype built around Tagovailoa's potential to push for playing time while Jones became the clear third option.

"Yeah, it's tough sometimes hearing a lot about them," Jones said in an interview with AL.com at the Sugar Bowl, "but like I said, we have a good room and those guys work hard and I work hard. So, we're all in it together."

Little more was said about Jones after the spring game. Saban said Jones had a few opportunities in an Aug. 19 scrimmage "and didn't do a bad job."

He flew under the radar until his DUI arrest in November led to a one-game suspension. The whole experience "was probably one of the best things that's happened to me," Jones said because of the connections he made doing community service with a local soup kitchen.

Harris, who jokingly claims to be Jones' father on social media, said the young quarterback has a selfless mentality. That was clear in the December interview -- unpublished until now -- conducted before the playoff semifinal in New Orleans.

"I don't care who plays," Jones said. "I love being here and getting better and helping out the team in whatever role I can."

With an already thin depth chart, Alabama was in position to add another veteran quarterback over the summer. East Carolina graduate transfer Gardner Minshew was committed to the Tide until Tuesday when he flipped to a Washington State program that offered more opportunity for immediate playing time.

Having three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster is the bare minimum for Saban to feel comfort in the situation. After not signing a passer for the first time in his Alabama tenure, Saban said they were pursuing a veteran transfer option.

A transfer or an injury away from being down to two quarterbacks is not where any program wants to be.

Still, Harris isn't worried about Jones' ability to step in if needed.

The quarterback nobody is talking about has a few qualities the top returning running back likes.

"His mind for the game," Harris said. "He understands defenses really well. He sees things on the field before they happen. I think he has a strong arm. Like I said, people don't think about him or talk about him much as a player but I think one day he's going to surprise a lot of people.

"And I think he'll have a great career once it finally takes off."

Michael Casagrande is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande.