Alabama names its starting quarterback ahead of the 2025 season

Alabama faces a critical Year 2 for coach Kalen DeBoer in 2025 after a 9-4 finish last fall that was the worst since Nick Saban’s debut season almost 20 years ago.

Ahead of a season that could determine the trajectory of Saban’s successor in Tuscaloosa, DeBoer has now named a starting quarterback. As expected, redshirt junior Ty Simpson will get the nod when the Crimson Tide travels to face Florida State in the season opener on Aug. 30.

Simpson, a former five-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, was competing with former Washington transfer Austin Mack and five-star true freshman Keelon Russell. In his three seasons at Alabama, he has made 16 appearances but has attempted just 50 passes, completing 29 of them for 381 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.

He has 130 yards and three career touchdowns on the ground.

He really came into fall camp and had this way about him that was just confident, had a swagger,” DeBoer said, per On3. “But not something where it was all about him or in an arrogant way. He’s continued to take steps from what he did this spring. And he’s done a great job taking care of the football and still being a guy who will push it down the field and create explosives.