Ty Simpson expected to be named Alabama starting quarterback for 2025 season opener

Alabama is expected to publicly name Ty Simpson as its starting quarterback for the season opener August 30 at Florida State, sources told CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer.

Simpson, a redshirt junior, has long been considered the frontrunner for the job opened when Jalen Milroe declared for the NFL draft in January. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said in April that Simpson would start if the season began at that point, and coach Kalen DeBoer reinforced that status throughout the summer while keeping the competition open between Simpson, redshirt sophomore Austin Mack and freshman Keelon Russell.

Grubb is scheduled to hold a news conference following Tuesday morning's practice. Simpson and the other quarterbacks have not yet been available to speak to reporters during spring or fall camp.

No announcement has been made yet about which quarterback will serve as Simpson's primary backup. Mack and Russell had also received first-team reps during fall camp in addition to action with the second and third-team offense. DeBoer on Saturday praised Simpson and Mack, the two more experienced players, for being "sharp and confident" in the huddle and noted Russell was "still learning but doing a great job."

Added DeBoer on Saturday: "We'll see kind of how the next few days go. But it's two good showings, I think, especially by Austin and Ty again today, and I think Keelon making the progress we'd hope for. You can see what his ceiling is going to be, it's just a matter of reps."

Monday's development comes as Alabama is set to return to the practice field Tuesday after a day off Monday, which followed its first in-stadium scrimmage Saturday. DeBoer said after the scrimmage he was moving closer to a decision about the starting quarterback and it would "for sure" come by the time Alabama completed its second scrimmage this Saturday.

The timeline also follows what DeBoer said to ESPN's Always College Football podcast in May: "There comes a point in fall camp, a couple weeks in, for sure -- that's kind of been consistent with how we've done things in the past -- where you've got to make that decision, because you've got to roll."

DeBoer has credited Simpson for his steadiness this offseason and into fall camp. Simpson also earned approval of his teammates entering camp.

"Ty Simpson is definitely the guy right now," linebacker Deontae Lawson told ABC 33/40 at SEC media days last month. "He's an established vet. Haven't seen that much playing time on the field, but I'm sure he's ready to embrace the opportunity and lead our team to where we need to be."

Simpson joined Alabama in December 2021 as a five-star prospect from Tennessee ranked No. 29 nationally by 247 Sports. He appeared in four games as a freshman in 2022 and redshirted. Simpson competed with Milroe and Tyler Buchner for the starting job in 2023, but Milroe won that job. However, Nick Saban benched Milroe after a Week 2 loss to Texas and Simpson replaced Buchner to earn a rain-soaked win at South Florida that September before Milroe re-took the starting job.

"I'm not gonna sit here and say it wasn't hard," Simpson said in June at the Manning Passing Academy of his three seasons as a backup. "There were some days where I felt like God wasn't on my side, and I didn't really understand his plan."

In total, Simpson has completed 29 of 50 passes for 381 yards in three seasons playing behind Bryce Young and Milroe. He has also rushed 22 times for 130 yards while scoring three rushing touchdowns.

Simpson said in June he feels like he's "waited [his] turn" and is "very looking forward to leading this team" as Alabama looks to recover from a 9-4 season and begins 2025 ranked No. 8 in both the Associated Press and coaches preseason polls, the lowest start for the Tide in both polls since 2008.

"I felt like God had put me in Tuscaloosa for a reason," Simpson said. "I always felt like I could accomplish everything that I could, still to this day, with winning a national championship and being a first-round pick there at the University of Alabama."

Alabama will open the season with its first-ever trip to Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, and its first scheduled road game to open a season since 2000. Alabama is currently a 13.5-point favorite on Caesars for the 2:30 p.m. CT start August 30.

Click here to read article