Alabama expected to name Ty Simpson starting QB: Veteran earns long-awaited chance to run Crimson Tide offense

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Ty Simpson is expected to be Alabama’s starting quarterback when the Crimson Tide travel to Florida State for the season opener on Saturday, Aug. 30, sources told CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer. Simpson showed the consistency and leadership within the huddle that second-year Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer and the rest of the staff had been looking for in the redshirt junior, who beat out fellow returnee Austin Mack, a former transfer from Washington, and five-star true freshman Keelon Russell, the No. 2 player overall in the 2025 cycle. 

Simpson is a former five-star recruit in his own right and was rated as the No. 29 overall player in the 2022 class who signed with the Crimson Tide under former coach Nick Saban. Simpson took most of the first-teams reps in Alabama’s spring game in April and was the only quarterback to finish the scrimmage without a turnover.

After the first day of fall camp, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said he was letting the quarterback competition “run its course” and was not ready, at the time, to hand the QB1 title to Simpson. This was a change from his admission after spring practice that Simpson had “earned” the right to start Week 1 if the season was set to begin the following week. 

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Grubb told reporters on July 31 that he had a detailed plan on how he would evaluate all three players in the competition and would announce his starter when ready.

That time is now for Simpson.

Veteran sticks it out

Simpson backed up Jalen Milroe each of the last two seasons in Tuscaloosa, initially losing his first competition during fall camp in 2023. Simpson got a chance to play behind Tyler Buchner during a game at South Florida following Milroe’s benching after Alabama’s loss to Texas that season, but he was sacked five times with mixed results in Tampa.

Milroe retained his starting position the following week, ahead of Simpson and Buchner, and never relinquished the role the remainder of his career. Last season, Simpson admitted he “tried too hard” against USF and not having a good showing revealed holes in his game and where he needed to grow.

Simpson enters the 2025 campaign as Alabama’s most experienced player at the position with appearances in 12 career games. He has thrown for 381 total yards with a completion rate of 58% in spot duty the last three years at the program.

Alabama saw no need for portal addition

Despite his three-man quarterback room combining for zero career starts approaching the opener at Florida State, DeBoer felt comfortable exiting spring camp that Alabama was set at the position. There was no need to look for a portal option for depth, or something to come in and challenge a room that was already well-placed

Simpson choosing to stay at the program the last two offseasons rather than jump ship with new program leadership speaks to his loyalty and the culture Alabama has established under DeBoer.

“And that’s if I just continue to stay the course, I continue to just believe in the development I’m going to get from our coaching staff, that time will come,” DeBoer said in July, via Bama247. “Ty is the greatest example of that, going into his fourth year right now. Just stay the course. Just keep plugging away.”

“And, you know, I love all our three of them, but there’s reasons to root for each guy. Austin, you know, traveled down here from Washington. So, man, he’s super close and someone I’m rooting for. Keelon, you know, is the same genuine, authentic guy. So you want all three of them to have the success.”

Saban’s high on Simpson

After DeBoer named Simpson the leader at quarterback coming out of spring, Saban was asked during a Birmingham golf tournament to share his thoughts on his former heralded signee. Hailing from Texas, Simpson was the second highest-ranked signee in Saban’s 2022 class with the Crimson Tide, a haul that was No. 2 nationally behind Texas A&M.

“Ty was an outstanding high school player, no doubt,” Saban said during the Nick’s Kids tournament in May. “Fine young man. I think his example is a true example of development. He matured and developed for two years. Now he’s gonna get an opportunity, and I think his experiences are probably gonna help him be successful.

“We’re rooting for him, that’s for sure. I have every confidence he’ll do a great job.”

This news was originally published on this post .

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