Alabama’s tryst with hoarding 5-star talent precedes HC Kalen DeBoer.
For the entirety of the Nick Saban era in Tuscaloosa, they won multiple championships as Saban’s coaching prowess meshed with quality personnel. Now, that responsibility sits on DeBoer’s shoulders who led the Red Tide to a 9-3 regular season record in his first stint. Now, one of his litmus tests is how he handles his first QB conundrum– Who replaces the ace QB Jalen Milroe come August 30? The options are some of the bests too in Ty Simpson, Austin Mack, and Keelon Russell. But the only problem that all three share? Little to no college football experience to do the talking for them.
Now see, traditionally, the next man up would be Ty Simpson. The junior will enter the 2025 season, second under DeBoer, having played 16 games for the Crimson Tide with 381 passing yards in three seasons. His loyalty to the program and trust in the incoming Kalen when Nick Saban left after his first season is a testament that he will wait, prove himself, and secure his spot. But when DeBoer did enter, he brought in the hand-picked transfer Austin Mack from Washington. And he is not letting the competition go easily.
Mack was considered a 4-star passer and did not play a single game for the Huskies and only one for Bama where he completed 2 of 3 passes for 39 yards and a TD. And he knows how Kalen operates. Addition of the new OC Ryan Grubb only fans the flames that might catch up to Ty. And all of this was not enough, he is also showing up and showing out in Alabama’s ongoing spring practices. So, will Austin’s rise push Simpson to finally check out another program? With Pete Nakos’ latest update on Mack, Bama insider Mick Gillispie and former Bama QB Jake Coker have some thoughts.
Many schools have already begun their spring practices and Bama is hosting a QB faceoff until August. So far, Mack’s been making a good case for himself. On3 tweeted on Wednesday, “Alabama QB Austin Mack has been turning heads in spring practice and is a serious contender for the starting job, sources tell @PeteNakos_👀”
After Tuesday’s spring practice where Mack made some simple but efficient plays, his former Huskies OC and current Bama OC Grubb mentioned, “He’s got a big upside, obviously. I thought he really had done a great job working on his technique, throwing motion, things like that. I can tell he been working hard over the last year. But he’s a very bright kid.
“I know that he can process the offense. He came into our system really, really young, 17-year-old freshman and kind of the thought there was when we got Austin to Washington was that he would have six months with Michael Penix and kind of see how it’s supposed to be done. And I certainly think he’s gravitated to that and it looks like he’s matured a lot and excited to be with him.”
The existence of the spring portal is to afford players like Simpson a re-do in case they fail to solidify a spot in camp. Gillispie’s co-host Coker concurred with his sentiment about Simpson potentially departing. “Yeah Ty’s gotta go after that and nobody could blame him after that. The best player’s gotta play, there’s no doubt about it but it’s hard not to pull for Ty. He’s stuck in there for as long as he has without transferring,” he said.
Simpson had the opportunity to leave Tuscaloosa when Nick Saban retired in 2023 since he did sign with the program to play under him. But he chose to stay, hoping he would be the kin to Milroe’s spot. However, time is money. If he doesn’t improve his prospects now, then when? As Coker pointed out, “Him passing Ty would be a tough move to make. But if he does, then you know that there’s absolutely no doubt in the coach’s mind or the locker room who’s the best quarterback in the team is.”
But as far as the person leaving the spot is concerned, he believes in all three prospects and the program. Milroe shared his thoughts on the QBs when he returned to Tuscaloosa on Wednesday. He told Colin Gay of Tuscaloosa News, “They’re all great quarterbacks. I know they have a bright future in front of them. They are around a great coaching staff, around a lot of people that care about them. Where they are at today, and where they are going to be at in the future is going to be even better because of the people that they have around them. And they are going to have a great support system around them to uplift them so that they can be the best version of themselves.”
Now if Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb indeed land on Austin Mack being the best player, it seems like curtains for Ty Simpson’s Bama stint. Before it even got into gear. Keelon Russel’s arrival, too, gives this working theory more legs.
A world where even Keelon Russell leapfrogs Ty Simpson does exist
The term ‘true freshman’ just doesn’t equate to the same in the current makeup of college football. The days of cagey high schoolers making the step up are almost a thing of the past. No more cagey, only courageous. Athletes now are ready off the cuff to take on the field and showcase their abilities.
Bama’s own Ryan Williams is a testament to this. The 18-year-old is taking to college football like a duck to water, presenting Kalen DeBoer with a chance to trust Keelon Russell more than most freshman QBs. Maybe not redshirt him and let him get minutes as a backup, something he’s more than capable of looking at his resume.
Keelon Russell’s case for being in the mix as a true freshman is pretty airtight. He’s the Gatorade National Football POTY, for starters. He threw for over 4000 yards and 55 TDs in his senior year at Duncanville and spearheaded them to two state championships. Russell has been rated a 100 on the 247Sports composite ranking, the highest-rated recruit in Bama history since Bryce Young (2020). Thus, his overtaking Simpson off the bat isn’t outside the realm of possibility. But Milroe doesn’t exactly support that.
On Wednesday, he also talked about Russell who he hasn’t spent much time with as a Red Tide. He suggested, “The knowledge base that’s in that room, you got guys, one’s going to be a senior, junior and now a freshman, there’s going to be so much knowledge ahead of him that he can soak. And also having a play-caller in coach Grubb, who has so much knowledge.”
But conventional wisdom suggests Ty Simpson deserves his shot. Unless he’s looked far inferior to Austin Mack in spring practice, he should start the season as QB1. But there is no smoke without fire. Pete Nakos’ report, in tandem with general positivity around Mack and the Washington connection, does suggest he could win the job. Alas, Kalen DeBoer will hope he can land on the right guy and kick his Bama tenure out of purgatory. As hyperbolic as that sounds, the standards are the standards at this dynastic blueblood.