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The Tuscaloosa News
How Ty Simpson has separated himself among Alabama football quarterbacks this spring
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- How Ty Simpson has separated himself among Alabama football quarterbacks this spring
Alabama football seems to be set on who the Crimson Tide 's starting quarterback will be.
After offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb all-but-confirmed that Ty Simpson will take the coveted spot from Jalen Milroe if the season started tomorrow. However, he reminded media that "by no means does that mean we're playing a game tomorrow."
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Along with Grubb, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer assessed all three names in the Crimson Tide 's quarterback battle, including Austin Mack and Keelon Russell, but Simpson had undoubtedly separated himself from the pack as A-Day approached over the spring.
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"There's a lot of great things they've all done. Ty continues to trend upward, but all of them have added to their game," DeBoer said on Monday.
DeBoer noted how every member of the trio is "at different spots" in their development. Russell, who committed to the Crimson Tide last June out of Duncanville High in Texas , is the freshest arrival, and therefore doesn't know the system as well as Simpson, a redshirt junior, or Mack, a redshirt sophomore who came to Tuscaloosa from Washington with DeBoer.
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"The other two know it better for sure. Ty has been around and he's just done a nice job," DeBoer said.
How Ty Simpson has separated himself among Alabama football quarterbacks this spring
Grubb called Simpson a guy "who's been around the block."
To DeBoer, Simpson is an "accurate thrower," Russell has had big days, but needs to work on making them "consistent," and he's pleased with Mack's "growth" from even the middle of the season.
"Austin Mack made huge strides, and also available reps were the same, and he did a really good job. He came out and developed. Just is some of the nuances and taking care of the football and things like that, but Ty showed out a little bit better," Grubb said.
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DeBoer made it clear that the Crimson Tide is "not where we need to be at the quarterback position yet," though. When asked how confident he was that he'd be able to keep that group of quarterbacks together in the era of NIL and going portaling, DeBoer sounded optimistic.
"That possibility [of portaling] always exists. But I do feel good about our team and our roster as far as general chemistry, guys feeling like they're continuing to be developed, that they continue to have a chance to compete and have an opportunity here," DeBoer said.
He thinks that specifically applies to the "quarterback situation."
"Three isn't very many, but it's probably the number we're going to have to be at at quarterback," DeBoer said, calling Alabama 's four quarterbacks on the 2024 roster a "unique situation."
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"I've had three many times in the last few years and you're always on edge, and the rest of the team has heard 'Stay away from the quarterback,' more than they've ever heard it in their entire life," DeBoer chuckled.
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: How Ty Simpson separated himself among Alabama football QBs this spring
