Any time there's an open competition at QB, it's going to dominate the headlines for Alabama football and its fans. That's especially true this offseason because the Crimson Tide looks like it has a roster good enough to win a National Championship, as long as the QB position is sorted out over the next couple of months before the season.
Kalen DeBoer has built a talented roster across the board. Alabama is loaded at the skill-positions, has a veteran offensive line, and a defense that should be even better than last season's unit that finished 10th in the country in yards per play against.
Of course, that won't mean a whole lot of if the QB position is a disaster. It shouldn't be, considering Alabama has three talented options to choose from.
On Thursday, new Tide OC Ryan Grubb joined Ryan Fowler on 100.9 The Game in Tuscaloosa. Grubb addressed the burning question that was on everyone's mind. Following spring practice, Grubb surprised folks by stating that if Alabama had a game to play the next day, rising redshirt junior Ty Simpson would start. Two months later, Grubb has not wavered from that bold declaration:
Ryan Grubb doubles down on his post-spring practice comments on Ty Simpson.
— Wyatt Fulton (@FultonW_) June 12, 2025
"If Alabama had to play on Saturday, is Ty Simpson the starter?" - @RyanCFowler
"He is." - Ryan Grubb
That wasn't the most interesting thing that Grubb had to say about his trio of quarterbacks, however. Grubb also mentiond which of the three was the best pure thrower of the football.
If you asked Alabama fans that question, I think the overwhelming majority would probably say it is 5-star true freshman Keelon Russell, who looks to be the most talented QB on the roster. Grubb's answer might surprise that majority:
#Alabama OC Ryan Grubb tells @RyanCFowler Austin Mack is "probably the best pure thrower of the football".
— Wyatt Fulton (@FultonW_) June 12, 2025
He says Keelon Russell is still getting familiar with the system and the offense, and working on connecting his lower half with his upper body to generate more power
Ryan Grubb credits Austin Mack as the "best pure thrower of the football"
Redshirt sophomore Austin Mack has been the forgotten man in Alabama's three-way QB competition. Most have believed that if Simpson wasn't the starter in the fall, it would be because Russell's talent was too undeniable to leave on the sidelines.
But Mack has plenty of talent on his own, and Grubb's declaration about his talent is eye-opening. Grubb is clearly a big fan of Mack's talent. Grubb was influential in signing Mack out of high school at Washington, and getting the talented QB to transfer from Seattle to Tuscaloosa in the one month Grubb was the Tide's offensive coordinator a year ago before leaving for the same job with the Seattle Seahawks.
He has spoken glowingly about Mack plenty in the past. His words on Thursday should be a reminder not to write Mack off in the Tide's QB competition, and despite many believing that he is destined to transfer after the season, Mack may yet get the opportunity to be the Tide's QB1.
Grubb's words on Russell should be equally eye-opening, serving as a reality check for those who forget just how challenging the jump from high school football to college can be. Russell has some mechanical things to work on, and more importantly, he is still learning a brand-new system.
Simpson and Mack have a massive advantage over Russell in that department. Simpson is entering his fourth year of college football, his second in DeBoer's offense. For Mack, it's only his third year, but he has the advantage of continuity. He has spent his whole career in this system.
The Alabama QB competition is far from over. We're still two and a half months from the Tide kicking off in Tallahassee to open up the 2025 season. Simpson might lead, but both Mack and Russell are gearing up for a push over the summer.