As the Alabama football team suffered a loss to the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday evening, 31-17, there is no doubt some in the football world question the program's validity, losing the opening contest of the season to an unranked opponent. Subsequently, after Ty Simpson won the Alabama football starting quarterback job, there was an immense amount of expectations.
Simpson would throw for 254 yards to go along with two touchdown passes, but it wasn't enough to get the victory inside Doak Campbell Stadium. However, if there is one aspect that Simpson showed on Saturday, it's the leadership ability to hold himself accountable, saying after the defeat that he promises that this will be “fixed,” according to 247 Sports.
“I promise you one thing — and it goes to every Alabama fan and my teammates — that I'm gonna work hard and we're gonna get this fixed,” Simpson said.
“The first start isn't what I wanted, and didn't play to expectations,” Simpson continued. “But guess what? I still got to go back and work. We got a game around the corner. This team is on me, and we got a long season ahead. I promise you I'm gonna put my head down and go to work and get this thing right.”
As Simpson alluded to, it's his first start in his collegiate career, so while it would've been valid to tamper with any expectations for the game, the optics of an eighth-ranked school losing in an upset to an unranked opponent in the opening game don't bode well.
Alabama football's Kalen DeBoer on areas that Ty Simpson will improve
Another person who would talk about Simpson's outing would be Alabama football head coach Kalen DeBoer, who spoke about the various aspects in which the junior signal-caller struggled. Pocket presence and Simpson's decision-making of when to make his reads or take off running will still be looked to improve, as DeBoer highlighted during his post-game press conference.
“He's gotta just trust his reads and just cut it loose sometimes,” DeBoer said. “Just let it fly. You know, he can make the throws. Just let it fly. And throw on rhythm, throw on time. There might have been at a time or two where they got in his face little quick. That's going to happen. That's football. But just, just let it fly. And then, you know, just some decision-making there in certain critical moments.”
Continuing to build up the trust with his receivers will be a focal point, as many times against Florida State, Simpson would hold the ball long, look to scramble, and get sacked (three times).
“I got to look in the mirror, and know that I got to quit taking sacks,” Simpson said. “I got to give my guy a chance to catch the ball, I think and look back out at it – our fringe game, our high red zone, wasn't very good. That's on me.”
Consequently, the Crimson Tide looks to bounce back next Saturday against UL Monroe.
