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Why was Ty Simpson was named Alabama football captain? What Kalen DeBoer said
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- Why was Ty Simpson was named Alabama football captain? What Kalen DeBoer said
Kalen DeBoer viewed Alabama football quarterback Ty Simpson as a leader before he was named the team's starter or a captain. It's one of the things DeBoer appreciates about Simpson.
After being named the Crimson Tide 's starting quarterback ahead of Alabama 's season opener at Florida State , Simpson was also made one of the team's four permanent captains along with linebacker Deontae Lawson , defensive tackle Tim Keenan III and center Parker Brailsford .
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"He's invested a lot of time into this program," DeBoer said after practice Thursday, Aug. 21. "It means a lot to him. Now, when he's been the quarterback, named the quarterback, he's taken it to another level and put himself out there front and center. And it's not something that's just, 'OK, I got to do this.' He wants to do this. He feels natural in this position. I'm certainly proud of him. The team voting him a captain certainly represents how they feel about him too."
Simpson has the most experience of any Alabama quarterback, but has played in less than 200 snaps across three collegiate seasons.
Simpson followed in the footsteps of Jalen Milroe , Bryce Young , Mac Jones and Tua Tagovailoa as Alabama quarterbacks who were also named team captains.
Simpson was also voted a member of Alabama's leadership group before spring practice began.
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Why Tim Keenan, Parker Brailsford were named Alabama football captains
Along with Simpson and Lawson, a returning captain from 2024, Keenan and Brailsford were also named as team captains for the 2025 season.
Keenan, DeBoer said, pours his heart and soul into the Crimson Tide program and has developed into a "big brother" for younger players who go to him for advice.
"I didn't probably really understand his journey until we probably got into the year last year and kind of understanding where he started out, how far he's come along and what he's doing for us now, it's really cool to see," DeBoer said of the fifth-year defensive lineman "It's really important to him."
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DeBoer has been with Brailsford every step of the way.
Brailsford followed DeBoer to Tuscaloosa after two seasons at Washington. Brailsford's the kind of player DeBoer guessed would be captain based on his ability to be an example and him stepping up vocally.
"See his growth, because I've had a chance to see it now going on these four years," DeBoer said. "It means a lot to me just knowing our journey together that he's continuing to just keep fighting, keep believing.
"When he says something, it comes from here," DeBoer continued, pointing to his heart. "He lives it every single day."
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Alabama opens the 2025 season at 2:30 p.m. CT August 30 at Florida State.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Kalen DeBoer shares why Ty Simpson was named Alabama football captain
