Alabama has concluded Spring practice and now looks ahead to the season. A big question before and after the Spring is, who will be the Crimson Tide’s quarterback? Head coach Kalen Deboer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb are tasked with finding the replacement of two-year starter Jalen Milroe. In his two seasons as the starter, Milroe passed for 5,678 yards and rushed for 1,257 yards. He also had a total of 71 touchdowns in 2023 and 2024. A portion of the Alabama fanbase is happy he will no longer be the quarterback due to his inconsistencies as a passer.
Who Will Be the Crimson Tide’s Quarterback?
Ty Simpson
The favorite to be the starter in the season opener versus Florida State should be Ty Simpson. He is the most experienced quarterback on the roster, but his experience is very little. In three years in Tuscaloosa, Simpson has seen playing time in 16 games. His most significant game action was against South Florida in 2023. Milroe was benched for that game, and Simpson played only in the second half. He was five of nine for 73 yards in the 17-3 win.
On Monday, Grubb spoke to the media and gave an update on the quarterbacks. During the press conference he did mention that if Alabama were to play a football game tomorrow that Simpson would start. He also went on to mention how Simpson had earned that. He was highly touted as a high school prospect in the 2022 recruiting class. 247Sports ranked him as the fourth-best quarterback in the country. According to Grubb, Simpson appears to be the early favorite to be the Crimson Tide’s quarterback.
Austin Mack
Austin Mack arrived in Tuscaloosa last year by way of the transfer portal. He was part of the 2023 Washington Huskies team that made it to the National Championship Game, where they lost to Michigan. He did not see any playing time that season as a redshirt freshman. It made sense for Mack to transfer to Alabama due to his experience with Deboer. Grubb was the offensive coordinator for that Huskies team, so there is familiarity there.
He only played one game for Alabama last season. In the Crimson Tide’s 52-7 win over Mercer, Mack was two of three for 39 yards and one touchdown. He connected with Rico Scott for a 31-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter. On Monday, Grubb said Mack had made great strides in the spring.
Keelon Russell
The new guy in the Alabama quarterback room is incoming freshman Keelon Russell. Russell should not factor in being the Crimson Tide’s quarterback, but he is very talented. He enrolled in school in early January and received much-needed experience in the spring. 247Sports rated Russell as the top player in Texas and the second-best quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class. He was the National Gatorade Player of the Year and led Duncanville High School to the state semifinals. He threw for 4,177 yards and 55 touchdowns. Russell was good with the ball in his hands. He completed 67% of his passes and only threw four interceptions. Grubb gave him high praise and compared him to Michael Penix whom he coached at Washington. He commented that he had a calm demeanor and exceeded his expectations.
Transfer Portal?
Alabama could gain a lot by adding a fourth quarterback to the roster. While Simpson, Mack, and Russell are all talented, they are inexperienced. If possible, adding another quarterback that has seen some playing time would be a good addition to the roster. Perhaps, a quarterback from a group of five would be good for the position. An experienced power five quarterback would not be the guy due to the fact that he would want to start. Simpson looks to answer the question of who will be the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback, at least for now.
Main Image: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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