Grading Ty Simpson’s clutch performance in Alabama’s CFP win vs. Oklahoma

Alabama was limping in the College Football Playoff, and that’s how the first round started in Norman, falling behind the No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners 17-0, before rallying to a 34-24 win. 

Ty Simpson also wasn’t playing his best for the Crimson Tide since their Week 12 loss to Oklahoma at Bryant-Denny Stadium, and was coming off his worst outing of the year in the SEC Championship Game. That’s how things started, with three straight three-and-outs against the No. 1 defense in the SEC and just 12 yards of offense until he settled in to lead a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter. 

So, just how well did Simpson play in the first round of the CFP, and with a one-dimensional offense, is the Alabama QB playing well enough for the Tide to pull an upset against No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl?

Oklahoma is one of the most blitz-heavy teams in the country, and Brent Venables brought the heat on Friday night in Norman, blitzing Simpson on 55.9 percent of his dropbacks. His exotic pressure looks forced Simpson into a pre-snap chess game, setting protections and getting into the right play. Not surprisingly, he looked unsettled early on. 

When the Sooners got home, pressuring Simpson on 14 of his 34 dropbacks, they knocked him out of rhythm. Simpson didn’t look comfortable with rushers in his grill, getting happy feet in the pocket, which led to inaccurate throws. He completed just two of his 10 attempts under pressure for 18 yards and was sacked four times. 

However, when he was kept clean, Simpson dealt, completing 16 of his 19 throws for 214 yards and two touchdowns. If Simpson had time, he was throwing darts all over the field, which is reflected in his numbers on dropbacks over 2.5 seconds. Even with three drops, which dragged his completion percentage down from an adjusted 70 percent to 36.4 percent. That’s despite a 16.4-yard average depth of target, and he averaged 9.5 yards per attempt, with 104 yards and a touchdown.

Rather than forcing Simpson to match Venables move for move at the line of scrimmage, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb went to more spread formations, forcing Oklahoma to declare its blitzers earlier pre-snap, and used a formational trick, putting his X wide receiver to the field side, creating space for a one-on-one. That all served to simplify the mental game for Simpson, and when he knew where to go with the ball, he was nails.

On throws over 20 yards downfield, Simpson went 4-for-4 for 120 yards and a score. If it weren’t for drops, his numbers would have looked even better, and more importantly, after a pick-six cost him in Week 12 against the Sooners, he protected the ball. He’ll need to do the same against Indiana because the Tide can’t give Fernando Mendoza any extra possessions.