Alabama QB competition: Kalen DeBoer doubles down on Ty Simpson as current starter

Alabama QBs Ty Simpson, Keelon Russell and Austin Mack (Courtesy of UA Athletics)

As the quarterback competition continues at Alabama, Kalen DeBoer reiterated what offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said earlier this offseason. The head coach doubled down on Ty Simpson as the frontrunner.

Simpson is going up against former Washington transfer Austin Mack and true freshman Keelon Russell in the battle to succeed Jalen Milroe as the starting quarterback.

He spent last year as a backup after Milroe chose to return for one more year in Tuscaloosa, and Simpson is now looking to secure the QB1 spot. The staff split reps as best it could during spring practice, according to DeBoer.

DeBoer pointed out Simpson’s journey during his time at Alabama, especially considering the former five-star prospect could’ve entered the transfer portal if he so chose. But he stuck it out, and now he could land the big-time opportunity.

“You mentioned Ty Simpson. We’ve made it known that if we played a game at the end of this spring – even right now, because it really wouldn’t change – we would have Ty as our quarterback,” DeBoer said on ESPN Sioux Falls. “But they’re all competing for the spot. Ty’s been around now. He’s seen it, he’s competed and has all the tools. Just like these other guys, he has all the tools to go out there and get the job done.

“And he’s done a really nice job of improving and looking forward to this opportunity that he’s waited a long time for, because he could’ve gone to – not any other, but a lot of programs in the country that would’ve been looking for a quarterback and had an opportunity a year ago already. He … has done just a great job of leading us so far here through this offseason.”

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Why Ty Simpson stayed at Alabama

Simpson appeared in six games each of the last two years after playing in four games as a freshman in 2022, meaning he preserved a redshirt. During his time in Tuscaloosa, he has 381 passing yards while adding 130 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

He could have entered the transfer portal, but ultimately chose to stay at Alabama. Looking back, he said he leaned on his faith to make his decision while also acknowledging the relationships he built with his teammates.

“I’m not gonna sit here and say it wasn’t hard because there were some days, I feel like God wasn’t on my side and I didn’t really understand His plan,” Simpson said at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, La. “But I prayed about it.

At the end of the day, there wasn’t anywhere else where I wanted to play. I felt that God had put me in Tuscaloosa for a reason. I always felt like I could accomplish everything that I could – still to this day, with winning a national championship and being a first-round pick there at the University of Alabama.

“And I couldn’t leave my friends, my teammates. Some of my best friends who are going to be in my wedding one day are my teammates there at the University of Alabama. Seeing them on a different sideline, it didn’t feel right to me. With Coach [Nick] Saban’s guidance and the guys who are on the team and go to school there, there was nowhere else I would rather be than the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.”