Alabama football is looking for a new QB this spring following Jalen Milroe's decision to enter the 2025 NFL Draft. A lot of indicators have pointed toward redshirt junior Ty Simpson as the leader in the clubhouse to be the starter in 2025, including a report from Greg McElroy this week stating he's heard that Simpson is in firm control of the race.
One of the other indicators was junior LB Qua Russaw stating this week that he, along with Simpson, LT Overton, and Kadyn Proctor, were voted on to the team's leadership committee for the 2025 season. You typically want your starting QB to be one of the leaders of the team, so many took that as further indication that Simpson was trending in the QB competition over Austin Mack and Keelon Russell.
Kalen DeBoer spoke to the media in the aftermath of Alabama's 2nd scrimmage of spring camp, and quickly dispelled the notion that Simpson's inclusion on the leadership committee gives any indication to the race to be the starting QB.
"I would expect Ty to be on it," DeBoer said. "He's been here, invested a lot. I would have voted for Ty to be on that in January as well."
The vote for the leadership committee was taken in January, two months before the QB competition could even get started.
Simpson is certainly being given every opportunity to win the job, and he should be considered the leader in the clubhouse with just over a week of spring practice remaining for the Crimson Tide.
A couple of extra notes from Alabama football's 2nd spring scrimmage
- On the QB battle, DeBoer mentioned that the majority of the reps with the 1st team were taken by Simpson and Mack, with Russell getting the majority of his reps with the 2nd team. DeBoer said that was "no indication" of where Russell is at and mentioned that the five-star true freshman is "killing it."
- Alabama is REALLY thin at the tight end position. DeBoer announced today that both Josh Cuevas and Marshall Pritchett would be out for the remainder of the spring. With the other injuries already piled up, I believe Jay Lindsay is the last scholarship tight end standing in that room.
- Kalen DeBoer said that Ryan Williams was held out of Friday's scrimmage out of caution. On Williams, DeBoer said: "Just taking care of him. We know what we have there... He might not do much the rest of the spring." Alabama has plenty of depth at WR without Williams and it will give younger players even more opportunities to grow.
- One of those young WRs who continues to turn heads is freshman Lotzeir Brooks, who reportedly had another impressive showing on Friday. Alabama has tremendous depth and talent at the WR position so it won't be easy for Brooks to find playing time. He continues to show that it won't be easy to keep him off the field, either.