Alabama legend is putting all of his faith in Ty Simpson as the Tide’s QB in 2025

Kalen DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb have both hinted that redshirt junior Ty Simpson will be Alabama’s starting quarterback in 2025, but technically, the team will enter camp with a three-way QB battle between Simpson, redshirt sophomore Austin Mack, and five-star true freshman Keelon Russell. 

Simpson himself is a former five-star recruit, but with just 50 career pass attempts after multiple seasons sitting behind Jalen Milroe, there are lingering questions about his ability to lead the Tide to the College Football Playoff after DeBoer's disappointing four-loss debut campaign. However, a man who has led Alabama to the mountaintop before, former quarterback AJ McCarron, doesn’t share those doubts. 

AJ McCarron backs Ty Simpson in Alabama’s three-way QB competition

McCarron’s endorsement carries quite a bit of weight in Tuscaloosa. The three-year starter won back-to-back national titles in 2011 and 2012 before finishing second in the Heisman Trophy race in 2013 as the Tide finished 11-2. It’s also not surprising. 

At his best, Simpson projects as a quarterback like McCarron. A talented passer with limited rushing or second-reaction playmaking ability, who thrives with elite playmakers around him. McCarron spent much of his three years as the starter in Tuscaloosa throwing to Amari Cooper and handing off to Trent Richardson, T.J. Yeldon, Kenyan Drake, and Derrick Henry. 

Alabama will have one of the best receiving corps in the country, led by Ryan Williams in his sophomore year, but Jam Miller isn’t quite Trent Richardson, so the Alabama run game could use another dynamic element. Maybe one that Keelon Russell, who was a highly efficient scrambler and remarkable off-platform thrower throughout his illustrious high school career in Texas, could provide. 

Russell is a big-play hunter and risk taker with an arm big enough to permit his aggressive play style. He may not be quite as polished as Simpson heading into the year, but his athleticism could unlock a higher ceiling for the Tide in a make-or-break season for DeBoer. 

AJ McCarron is rightfully an Alabama legend, but he was also a quarterback archetype that rarely succeeds at the highest level of college football anymore. Even after winning titles with Greg McElroy, McCarron, and Jake Coker, Nick Saban recognized that to keep up with evolving offenses, he had to go after highly-rated recruits like Tua Tagovailoa and Bryce Young. While Mac Jones may appear to be the exception to that rule, he, too, needed a juggernaut of a team around him and a historic season from DeVonta Smith to win his title before faltering at the next level. 

While he didn’t say it outright, it feels like McCarron may see a bit of himself in Ty Simpson, and that can work with an elite supporting cast. I’m just not sure Alabama has the pieces in place to even win the SEC without a quarterback capable of elevating the offense.