NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WHNT) — Baking a cake, like a quarterback competition, takes patience and time.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban compared the process of both in his opening statement to address the ‘elephant in the room’ at SEC Media Days.

“Grandma Saban used to bake the best cakes in the world, and I used to stand by the oven when I was a kid and say, ‘When is this cake going to be done? When is this cake going to be done?'” said Saban. “She said, ‘If I don’t let it go through and take it out of the oven too soon, it will turn to mush and it won’t be a really good cake.'”

In other words, Tide fans wanting an immediate answer to who’s winning the three-man race between Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson and Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner… aren’t getting one, at least for now.

However, Saban did reveal the ‘ingredients’ that the coaching staff is looking for in a starting quarterback throughout this competition.

“We want somebody to play winning football at that position. Our quarterback is a unique position in that you distribute the ball on every play,” said Saban. “Whether you hand it off, whether you choose the play that we run, whether you hand it off or whether you throw advantaged throw, making decisions in the passing game to throw it to the right guys at the right time and the right place and accurately.”

Saban recognizes that being that guy in the Tide offense isn’t an easy task, especially if the pieces around the quarterback don’t fall into place and play well.

“Who can do that with the most consistency and be a leader on our team who has an impact on the other players is also important, because quarterback may be one of the most difficult positions to play if the people around you don’t play well,” said Saban. “I think that’s a challenge for us, too, is to get the people around our quarterbacks to play well so that it’s a little easier for them to be able to have success at the position when they get the opportunity.”

Which player will prove to be that leader? Time will tell. But for now, Saban says like a cake in the oven, it’s not done yet.

“I use the cake analogy because it’s not done yet. It’s not –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 time until somebody separates themselves,” said Saban.