Alabama Football: Not so fast thinking Rees hire favors Ty Simpson

The Alabama football team will have a quarterback battle this spring. Potentially, with the two, early-enrolling freshmen, it could be a four-way competition. Jalen Milroe, with 12 games of playing experience will go into the spring with an inside track.

Not that Milroe has significant experience from his two seasons in Tuscaloosa. His Alabama football career includes a total of 46 rushes and 60 pass attempts. But those numbers far exceed the Crimson Tide playing experience of Ty Simpson. In Simpson’s 2022 freshman season, he threw five passes and was otherwise, mostly handoffs in mop-up duty.

The problem facing the 2023 Alabama football offense is not a lack of talent at quarterback. Maximizing the talents of players is what coaches do in every training and practice session. What is a problem that concerns Crimson Tide fans is none of the Tide’s 2023 QBs has a package of physical and mental skills equal to Bryce Young. But comparing them to Bryce is not only unfair, it is not even pertinent.

Nick Saban’s Alabama offense will be shaped by Tommy Rees to take advantage of what the entire offensive unit can best produce. A revamped Alabama football offense led by Jalen Milroe or Ty Simpson – or even Eli Holstein or Dylan Lonergan will have plenty of firepower. With more consistent play from the offensive line and a defense that will not yield 52 points, Bryce Young’s magic will be missed. But the Crimson Tide offense and the Alabama football team can have more success than last season.

Two Alabama Football Questions

As much as some Tide fans love a quarterback competition, most prefer a starting QB being named sooner than later. In that vein, coming out of spring with a clear No. 1 is the preference. Will that happen? It is highly unlikely it will happen this spring. Even if one QB shines in the A-Day game and the others don’t, late in Fall Camp is probably the earliest a leader will emerge at the position.

Performance in the two fall camp scrimmages could settle who is QB1, or the depth chart for Middle Tennessee State week could have two QBs named, with an ‘or’ connecting them. Assuming two guys share snaps against the Blue Raiders, Nick Saban will want a clear No. 1 before the following Saturday when the Crimson Tide hosts Texas. Saban has always held to the old adage “when you have two quarterbacks, you have none.’ Yes, Saban could adjust and Tommy Rees could run a two-QB system, based on the different skill sets of two quarterbacks. Will it happen? A best, maybe there is a 10% chance.

Nick Saban has often said, the team rather than the coaches choose QB1. The statement is more than coachspeak, so coaches and fans have to be patient.