Any quarterback’s dream growing up, beginning when they’re in Pop Warner trying to keep their helmet on their head and throw the football at the same time, is to win a national championship.
Alabama has been fortunate to have had a few of those QBs over the past 20 years – 6 in fact, capturing 6 titles in arguably the best run of college football history.
Greg McElroy. AJ McCarron, twice. Jake Coker. Jalen Hurts/Tua Tagovailoa. Mac Jones. All names writ in Crimson flame and whatnot. And no matter who is given the keys to run the Alabama offense, in any era, they are expected to be able to run said offense at a level of bringing the program a 19th national title.
Heading into the 2025 season, coach Kalen DeBoer’s second in Tuscaloosa, the “who will it be?” debate is undoubtedly the central talking point for a program that isn’t used to just a whole lot of indecision at any position.
The short answer is this: It will be 2022 5-star Ty Simpson, 2024 4-star Austin Mack or 5-star freshman Keelon Russell under center when Alabama straps on the pads against Florida State on Aug. 30 in Tallahassee.
But the long answer is way more complex – and theoretically could end up being “none of the above.”
Simpson seems to have the inside track to the starting spot vacated when Jalen Milroe declared for the NFL Draft. An incoming redshirt junior, Simpson arrived as the No. 4-rated QB in the 2022 class. He stuck with Alabama through the Nick Saban-to-DeBoer transition.
Simpson was Milroe’s primary backup for the past 2 seasons and has completed 29-of-50 passes for 381 yards over the past 3 years while adding 130 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns. From the incumbent perspective, Simpson seems to be the guy – but he will certainly have stiff competition that is both known and unknown inside the QB room.
Hot on Simpson’s heels will be Mack, who along with Simpson is the lone returner in said QB room (Dylan Lonergan previously transferred to Boston College). A rising redshirt sophomore, Mack transferred to Alabama from Washington to follow DeBoer – he was a true freshman for the Huskies in DeBoer’s final season.
Although Mack only saw the field during blowout situations after Simpson and Lonergan got in last season, he didn’t spend all his time just holding a clipboard – instead playing an integral role on the scout team mimicking opposing QBs for the Tide defense.
An incoming freshman from Duncanville (Texas) High School. Russell was the nation’s 2nd-ranked overall prospect who was the Gatorade National Player of the Year and a MaxPreps All-American. All Russell did as a high school senior was complete 238-of-343 pass attempts for 4,177 yards with 55 touchdowns and 4 interceptions, and rush for 321 yards and 3 more TDs.
Russell graduated early from Duncanville and enrolled at Alabama in January, so he is eligible to begin spring practice with the rest of the Crimson Tide on March 3 – the first of a 15-workout stretch that will be a non-stop litmus test for all 3 signal-callers that culminates with A-Day on April 12.
The smart odds are on Simpson. Spending all of 2024 just a single Milroe misstep away from being “the man” was valuable experience, and having said full year absorbing the DeBoer offense is invaluable. The leap forward that Michael Penix Jr., made in his second season at Washington with DeBoer was gigantic, and if Simpson can turn in a similar evolution starting in March he will be the guy trusted with the football.
But Russell’s pure athleticism – which was on display as he rocketed up the recruiting charts from being an SMU commitment to Alabama signee during his senior season – simply cannot be ignored. At 6-3 and 175 pounds, Russell comes straight from the Tagovailoa mold of players who can break defenses both with his scrambling ability and arm talent.
Still, are 15 practices enough for a true freshman to grab the starting quarterback spot at Alabama? Raw talent is one thing, of course, but experience and familiarity matters. Adding weight would help, too. Russell is still 17 years old and likely still needing a map to get around the Capstone for classes. Yes, Ryan Williams was that age during his 2024 Hollywood star turn, but receivers only need to know their routes – not all the routes.
Simply put, this is Simpson’s job to lose. But all of Crimson Tide Nation doesn’t want him to just not lose it – but instead grab it with both hands and take the first steps toward adding his name alongside McElroy, McCarron, Coker, Hurts/Tagovailoa and Jones.
