Jalen Milroe is the catalyst, but Alabama football has a quarterback room that is really good.
Milroe returns with an experience and an opportunity to capture a Heisman Memorial Trophy. Ty Simpson, a redshirt sophomore, observed things from the bench and saw time on the field last season. Dylan Lonergan, a redshirt freshman, has a very talented arm, and Austin Mack is young but has a lot of potential. Milroe guided the Crimson Tide to a Southeastern Conference Championship and a College Football Playoff berth in 2023, regardless of not playing in the South Florida game.
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He collected 2,834 passing yards and 35 total touchdowns, but JaMarcus Shephard — Alabama’s wide receivers coach — praised the whole quarterback room on Wednesday in an interview via Tide 100.9 FM. He called the room ‘lethal’ for the coming season.
“We’ve got guys in there who, at any point can throw the ball at a very high level,” Shephard said.
“Obviously a lot of it starts with Jalen Milroe. He had a phenomenal spring, just learning the system and understanding how we wanted him to read the concepts. His leadership qualities were on display fully throughout the spring. It was fun to watch what this young man can do, honestly, just having been a part of an offense where the quarterback might be the most athletic guy on the football field.”
Simpson, a former five-star in the 2022 signing class, had a really good spring. He came off the bench last year to replace Tyler Buchner in the USF matchup and led two 80-yard scoring drives. Simpson assisted the Tide to a 17-3 victory on the road.
Shephard was impressed with Simpson’s growth and maturation throughout spring practice.
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“He started to operate the offense and an extremely high level,” Shephard said. “He’s a playmaker, honestly. He’s been a playmaker all throughout the spring, I’ve enjoyed seeing him.”
Lonergan, a former four-star in the 2023 freshmen class, turned two impressive years of spring practices.
Shephard loves the arm talent he possesses coming from Georgia.
“Dylan Lonergan, once he got out there he got rolling,” Shephard said. “He showed he’s got natural arm ability.”
Shephard also highlighted the potential Mack has, regardless of his youth.
“Then, Austin Mack, he’s a young buck, but he showed flashes throughout the entire spring that there’s going to be a time and a place for him at some point here at Alabama,” Shephard said.
All four guys bring something different, but it starts with Milroe. If he can clean up his ability to read defenses and connect on 10 to 15-yard passes into the boundary, he will be deadly in the fall and should lead Alabama to a national championship.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
