Ty Simpson Reportedly Named Alabama QB1 Over Keelon Russell, Austin Mack

Alabama is reportedly going with experience under center to start the 2025 college football season.

ESPN's Chris Low reported Monday that Ty Simpson won the Crimson Tide's starting quarterback job in the competition against redshirt sophomore Austin Mack and true freshman Keelon Russell.

While Simpson has been a backup in each of the last two seasons, this is set to be his fourth year within the program.

Low reported that "Simpson's command of the offense was especially good and that he was the most comfortable of the three" during Alabama's first preseason scrimmage last Saturday, which surely contributed to the decision. 

It also wasn't particularly surprising considering head coach Kalen DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb consistently said over the offseason that Simpson would be the starter if there was a game that day.

The redshirt junior arrived at Alabama as a highly regarded 5-star prospect in the class of 2022, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

He lost the quarterback battle to Jalen Milroe ahead of the 2023 campaign, although he did lead the Crimson Tide to 17 unanswered points in an ugly 17-3 victory over South Florida early in that season.

Yet Milroe returned to the starting role and remained there throughout the 2024 season until he was a third-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks this year.

Simpson doesn't have much in-game experience, but neither does Mack or Russell considering the former threw three total passes last season and the latter is a true freshman. Russell was a 5-star prospect and the No. 2 overall player in the class of 2025, per 247Sports' composite rankings, but he will have to wait for his opportunity to lead the program.

It was a critical decision because Alabama will be tested right out of the gates this season. It opens on the road against Florida State on Aug. 30 and also plays Wisconsin (Sept. 13) and Georgia (Sept. 27) during its first four games.

How Simpson performs in those contests could go a long way toward determining the Crimson Tide's College Football Playoff chances since they also play Tennessee, South Carolina, LSU and Oklahoma with little room for error.