Alabama football is drawing questions from rival coaches on how it will replace star quarterback Jalen Milroe. The Crimson Tide is coming off a somewhat disappointing first season under head coach Kalen DeBoer. Last year's squad had its moments, like the early-season home win over Georgia, but too many times this team showed inconsistency, which resulted in them missing the College Football Playoff.

Now, Alabama football will head into 2025 with expectations of qualifying for the twelve-team field and winning a few rounds. This coming season's roster is super talented, but the program is facing one huge question. On3's Dan Morrison detailed the conference's perception of the Crimson Tide.

“Ahead of the season, several anonymous SEC coaches spoke to Athlon about Alabama. One of those coaches highlighted the quarterback battle in Tuscaloosa. If Alabama wants to make it to the College Football Playoff, then that’s the biggest question they need to answer. ‘The biggest question will be quarterback, obviously,' the coach said. ‘But they have a really solid offensive line, and the roster doesn’t have any obvious holes to fill. They’re going to compete for a playoff spot for sure.'”

Alabama football once again faces a daunting schedule

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The quarterback competition for Kalen DeBoer's team is between three players: long-time backup Ty Simpson, Austin Mack, and five-star recruit Keelon Russell. So far, Simpson is the favorite for the starting job, and should he earn the status QB1, he will be facing a gauntlet of a schedule. Alabama football's nonconference is pretty manageable with matchups against rebuilding Florida State and Wisconsin programs looming. After that will come some formidable SEC clashes, including games against Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, and LSU.

This slate gives the Crimson Tide plenty of opportunities to build a terrific resume in 2025. However, there has to be stability at the quarterback position. The presumption is that Keelon Russell is the future under center, but he might not be ready as a true freshman. Whoever it is, he will have many weapons to work with, including wide receiver Ryan Williams, who is expected to be a Heisman Trophy contender.

Another luxury that the starting quarterback will have is incoming offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. Grubb coached under DeBoer at Washington and played a huge role in quarterback Michael Penix Jr's development. Overall, the expectations remain the same in Tuscaloosa, and the pressure is squarely on the Crimson Tide's head coach to meet them in year two.