![[Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]Alabama Vs Mercer](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/06ca43df7586cd7fc753056d8a075004884b065553e2e118acbc0334f8110652.jpg "[Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]Alabama Vs Mercer")
Alabama football has one of the nation’s top signal callers in reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young. Young will almost undoubtedly move on to the professional ranks following the 2022 season, so the backup quarterback position is a much more pressing concern than it was last year.
The second stringer will probably see more reps in mop-up duty, as he will need to be primed and pruned to be the next starting quarterback for Alabama football.
Additionally, Bryce Young was essentially a freshman last season as a first-year starter. He needed every game rep he could get, which was another reason Nick Saban had a tendency to leave his starters in longer than fans expected in uncompetitive games last year.
The backup quarterback picture also looks much clearer than it did last season. Sophomore Jalen Milroe seems to have a firm grasp on the spot. He was impressive this offseason and also benefited from Paul Tyson’s decision to transfer. He will be pushed by talented freshman Ty Simpson, but Milroe has the massive advantage of having already been in the system for a year.
Jalen Milroe is an athletic freak that has also exhibited some upside as a downfield passer. He showed some nice touch on a scoring toss to Javon Baker last season, and threw another dime to Christian Leary on a deep ball in the spring game.
Many Alabama football fans are already confident that the Tide would be in good hands even without Bryce Young. Personally, I would need to see Milroe prove himself in a game situation before I fully buy in, but thus far he has shown me no reason to be skeptical of his abilities.
Ty Simpson is another mobile quarterback with an extremely high ceiling. He should profit from a year sharing a locker room and film room with Young, and I have no doubt that he will really make Milroe earn the starting spot going forward.
With 4-star commits Eli Holstein and Dylan Lonergan joining Milroe and Simpson on campus next season, the future of the Alabama quarterback room is bright.
If the Crimson Tide starters take care of business and rack up some lopsided victories, we should get a really good look at Jalen Milroe and maybe even Ty Simpson this season.
Hopefully the second halves of many Alabama football games will provide a sneak preview of the 2023 offense.