There’s no handbook for replacing a quarterback like Jalen Milroe. It’s just a storm of expectations, a ticking clock, a room full of eager arms, and a fanbase full of curiosity. Alabama’s new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has felt the pressure from the moment he hit Tuscaloosa. But if you thought naming Ty Simpson the starter was a done deal after spring, think again. Of course, that chatter in April could’ve fooled anyone. That guy would be the starter if the Tide’s season started in spring. But it didn’t…
On Day 2 of Alabama call camp, Ryan Grubb couldn’t avoid the inevitable. When pressed about the timeline of the QB decision, he cracked, “Yesterday, if I’m being honest.” But behind that curious response was a familiar playbook he borrowed straight from Kalen DeBoer. The OC has seen what happens when a program rushes the most important decisions in the building. So, he’s letting the race breathe.
During an appearance on The Next Round on August 1, Alabama beat writer Nick Kelly laid it out plainly. “It’s because he wants to see it from Ty Simpson every day,” he said of the QB decision delay. “I think Ty’s had a great start to camp. There’s no indication that he hasn’t. But it’s a matter of can you keep doing it? Can you sustain? And that was something that Kalen talked about to the whole team.” Ty Simpson might be leading, but the finish line is still far off. And Ryan Grubb wants to see who lasts the longest in the fire. Because there’s the ghost of the 2024 season that still haunts them.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Chattanooga at Alabama Nov 18, 2023 Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson 15 outruns Chattanooga Mocs defensive back Josh Battle 24 on his way to an apparent touchdown at Bryant-Denny Stadium. On replay, Simpson was ruled to have dropped the ball on the one yard line where Alabama had a first and goal. Alabama won 66-10. Tuscaloosa Bryant-Denny Stadium Alabama USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xGaryxCosbyxJr.x 20231118_gma_wv4_0077
Ty Simpson isn’t some new kid slinging footballs with hope. The redshirt junior has been in the system. He’s learned from Jalen Milroe’s highs and lows. But Alabama’s QB room is anything but shallow. Freshman phenom Keelon Russell is already turning heads, and Austin Mack is fluent in the OC’s playbook after their time together at Washington. But if the hype is clear, why not just hand the keys to Simpson? Well, Kalen DeBoer has already warned about the trap of momentary brilliance. As Kelly added, “The issue a season ago is Alabama had some really high great moments, but they had some lows. They did not sustain. And it’s tough to win every game. It doesn’t happen most of the time.”
The ghosts of Jalen Milroe’s 2024 season linger. At times, he was electric like when he lit up LSU. Other times, like in the ReliaQuest Bowl loss to Michigan, the spark sputtered. It wasn’t all on him, of course. As Kalen DeBoer said on the same show back in April, “The thing with Jalen, I think a lot of it is, just like any other quarterback, it’s like, what’s going on around you too.” And that’s exactly the lesson Ryan Grubb’s carrying into 2025.
The goal is to build around a guy who stabilizes, not one who swings. Grubb is hunting for a stabilizer. “Consistency. Take care of the ball,” he said after Thursday’s practice. “You gotta be a guy that can move us forward.” That’s the bar. And to his credit, he added that Ty Simpson “did a better job today than the other two guys with that” on Day 2. So the frontrunner’s still in front—for now. But what about Kalen DeBoer’s thoughts?
Kalen DeBoer isn’t hiding his confidence in Ty Simpson
Kalen DeBoer’s message never changed. From SEC Media Days to the opening day of camp, it’s always been about moving the football forward. He wants QBs who stack the easy plays, the “gimmies,” the five-yarders that morph into 15-yard daggers. “Ty, just the gimmies, the ones that should be 100 percent of making those plays all the time,” he said. “And I really felt like he did that. He probably got more opportunities just because of the way the plays developed to have more of those gimmies, and those gimmies add up.”
Kalen DeBoer is pointing to a QB who’s quietly mastering the art of winning football. Take what the defense gives, live to play the next snap, and keep the offense in rhythm. That’s how you avoid the Jalen Milroe rollercoaster of 2024, where he’s a one-week LSU hero and the next week a bowl-game ghost. Now, with the full playbook clicking into place, Ryan Grubb’s waiting for someone to seize the job outright.
Keelon Russell’s flashing promise. Austin Mack knows the system. But Ty Simpson’s been consistent. If he keeps stringing those practices together and does it in full pads, all these speculations could prove right. As Kelly noted, “There’s no indication that he’s been bumped, that he’s been moved out of that top spot. So I’ll be pretty surprised if he’s not the starter against Florida State.” So, he may still be QB1 in waiting. But don’t expect a coronation until he proves he can be Alabama’s steady hand, not just its hottest one.
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