No other player, coach, or staff member is possibly feeling worse to start the year out than Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson after exiting the Crimson Tide's 38-3 Rose Bowl beatdown to No.1 Indiana on New Year's Day early with a fractured rib.
Simpson recalls the injury occurring on a third-down scramble late in the second quarter, where he ultimately fumbled the football after taking a backside blow from a Hoosiers defender. Afterwards, Kalen DeBoer gave answers to reporters about Simpson's current mental state after the redshirt junior quarterback did not return.
"Ty had an injury obviously and he really wanted to try to go back out there," DeBoer said.... "I know he feels like he let down the team, but there's no way that's the case. He went out there and tried to battle, that's who he is. And so, I'm never gonna let that be a thing, where he let us down in any way, I'm making sure he knows that."
Kalen DeBoer won't let Ty Simpson beat himself up over this loss
These remarks come after Alabama football fans and college football watchers across the country saw the mental toughness of Simpson across 14 and a half games this season. The Tennessee native responded time and again, picking himself up off the turf every time he was taken down, being sacked 29 total times on the year but never missing a snap in a meaningful game till the second offensive series in the 3rd quarter on Thursday.
For Tide fans, this could be the last time Simpson is seen in a Crimson Tide uniform. If so, despite Simpson's inability to finish the game, the Alabama signal caller has still positioned himself to be a top 3 QB prospect in this April's upcoming 2026 NFL draft, according to Mel Kiper's most recent big board. This projection leaves Simpson only behind Oregon's Dante Moore and Indiana's Fernando Mendoza.
Simpson was also later asked post-game if he had come to a decision on what his football future could potentially hold with a season of eligibility remaining.
"No, not at all," Simpson said. "I'm just worried about these last few minutes with these seniors and everybody won't be here next year."
While Simpson remains undecided, he'll now have up until January 23rd to make his decision.