Gainesville High junior quarterback Blake Sims verbally committed to play football at the University of Alabama during a visit Saturday to Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Sims has been recruited to play quarterback for the Crimson Tide and coach Nick Saban. Sims was a Times’ first-team All-County selection in 2008 with 2,453 yards passing and 822 rushing yards while leading the Red Elephants to the Class AAA state quarterfinals.

According to Gainesville assistant coach Todd Wofford, the 6-foot, 180-pound quarterback committed on the spot to Saban during his visit.

Even though Sims is now verbally committed, he won’t be able to officially sign a letter of intent with the Class of 2010 until National Signing Day next February.

Wofford says that Sims was immediately impressed with Saban and his NFL coaching pedigree.

"I would say the way his family was talking about Alabama that this is it," Wofford said. "His father said they saw everything they needed to see from Alabama and really like the program."

Sims’ interest from colleges really took off last month. In addition to Alabama’s offer, he still holds offers from Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Ole Miss, Tennessee and West Virginia, among others.