Ty Simpson has turned into an undeniable star for the Alabama Crimson Tide, but he very easily could have played for another powerhouse program, specifically one that is currently struggling at the quarterback position.
Coming out of high school in 2021, Simpson was the No. 2 quarterback in the country and quickly became the main focus of many teams, including the Crimson Tide and the Clemson Tigers.
The Tigers, led by head coach Dabo Swinney, became hyper-focused on landing Simpson's commitment, just for him to choose Alabama and the G.O.A.T., Nick Saban. When that happened, Swinney moved on to Cade Klubnik, the guy currently running the backfield at Clemson.
As Simpson has risen to Heisman-esque heights, Klubnik has fallen to the depths of the national quarterback rankings. Putting it lightly, the Tigers are living in the nightmare version of a "what could have been" situation at quarterback.
When Saban retired just a couple of years later, Simpson decided to stick it out in Tuscaloosa, being passed from the greatest college coach of all time to Kalen DeBoer, the Tide's current head coach. This season, his loyalty has more than paid off.
Ty Simpson vs. Cade Klubnik season stats
Beyond Alabama's 4-1 overall record and Clemson's 2-3 overall record, the quarterbacks' numbers speak for themselves, with Simpson leading Klubnik in almost every measurable.
Quarterback | Passing yards | Passing TDs | Interceptions | Rushing yards | Rushing TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ty Simpson | 1,478 | 13 | 1 | 51 | 2 |
Cade Klubnik | 1,250 | 10 | 4 | 56 | 1 |
Other than Klubnik having five more rushing yards (a minimal difference) than Simpson, the Alabama quarterback is eons better than the one running the show in Clemson. Not to mention, Simpson has averaged a 174.7 overall passer rating through the first five games, with Klubnik averaging a 140.1 RTG.
Saban landing Simpson's commitment four years ago was big then. It's huge now. Simpson sticking around during the coaching transition period was one of the biggest gifts Saban could have passed on to DeBoer.
This week, Simpson and the Tide take on the Missouri Tigers, where Alabama is favored by 3.5 points in the top-15 SEC matchup. Meanwhile, the unranked Clemson Tigers take on the unranked Boston College Eagles as the two teams try to just keep their head above water in the ACC.
On Saturday, Oct. 11, No. 8 Alabama and No. 14 Missouri are scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on ABC.