The Alabama football program enters the 2025 season with a top-10 preseason ranking despite a 9-4 record in 2024 and quarterback Jalen Milroe leaving for the NFL. Alabama named Ty Simpson as its starting quarterback, and he beat out Washington transfer Austin Mack and talented five-star recruit Keelon Russell.
While Simpson enters the year as the starter, head coach Kalen DeBoer, who is in his second season, opened up about the quarterback room.
“Our quarterback room is getting coached better than any quarterback room in the country,” DeBoer said, via Nick Kelly of AL.com.
Alabama's quarterbacks coach is Nick Sheridan, who was with DeBoer at both Indiana and Washington before coming to Tuscaloosa. When DeBoer was the OC at Indiana, Sheridan coached tight ends, and Sheridan was DeBoer's tight ends coach at Washington.
So, it's not surprising to see DeBoer speak highly of the QB room in general, and the trio of Mack, Russell and Simpson is a good one for both now and the future.
Alabama cornerback Zabien Brown also spoke highly of Simpson after he was named the starter, so a lot are on board with the decision by DeBoer.
“Ty, he’s a leader of men,” Brown said. “I’m extremely glad that’s my quarterback, he’s the type of guy, he’s a guy’s guy. Makes me want to play harder for him.”
Simpson has been the Alabama backup for three years, so he has waited a while to be the QB1 in Tuscaloosa. In his career, he has gone just 29-of-50 for 381 yards with no touchdowns, so it will be interesting to see how Simpson plays this season.
If not, DeBoer has other options, and Russell has also drawn rave reviews, including one from Alabama's OC Ryan Grubb.
“He’s a very composed player. Very young player. And, even when it’s not perfect and things aren’t going Kee’s way, I think he’s able to just slow the game down, and I think that that’s something that’s, you know, somewhat innate and you just do.”
Alabama begins the season against Florida State, and it will be worth watching to see how Simpson does in his first start.
