Some Alabama football fans are already looking toward next season, especially at quarterback.
Jalen Milroe is expected by most NFL Draft pundits to enter the 2025 draft.
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He is viewed by most experts as the second or third best signal-caller in the class. Milroe has three more interceptions (9 to 6) this year than he had in 2023; however, some media personalities feel NFL teams will fall in love with him. If he pursues the draft or enters the NCAA transfer portal, a former five-star is very ‘hopeful’ that he commands the Crimson Tide’s offense as the starting quarterback next season. Ty Simpson, a redshirt sophomore from Martin, Tenn., is in his third year with Alabama. He came in the 2022 recruiting class after a successful high school career. The former Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Tennessee is the son of a college coach. Simpson is a football junkie that wants a chance to lead the Tide’s program to a CFP national title.
He was interviewed by Roger Hoover of Crimson Tide Sports Network on Monday.
Simpson believes his calling in his coaching after his playing career, but he feels next spring begins his moment at Alabama.
“Hopefully next year that will be my job to be the guy and know the next guy is ready [as the backup],” Simpson said.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder is more of a pure passer than Milroe is.
Simpson also has escapability and athleticism with his legs to create and extend plays. Alabama fans saw his abilities in the Mercer matchup when he avoided a sack, scrambled to his right, and delivered an 43-yard opportunity downfield to give tight end Josh Cuevas a chance. Simpson came into the South Florida game in 2023 and helped pull the Tide to a 17-3 victory on the road.
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He has completed 14 of 25 passes for 167 yards and totaled a rushing touchdown.
Simpson is more than just a capable quarterback, but he sees himself as a marquee leader on the team.
“Certainly, especially since coming back [for 2024],” Simpson said to Hoover about his leadership during Saban’s retirement announcement in January.
“In this day and age, a lot of people would have probably left, especially with the circumstances that I had. But being here when Coach [Saban] left and being here for three years — in my class, you’ve got guys like Tyler Booker, Jihaad Campbell, Kendrick Law, Jamarion Miller — guys like that that are big time playmakers for us and vocal leaders in the locker room. And me being a quarterback and an older guy as well, my voice is just as much important as theirs, and just as heard as much as theirs. I think it’s a job of mine — even though I don’t play — that these guys know the standard and know how we do things around here.”
Simpson has the same mental makeup as Mac Jones.
Jones, a former Alabama standout, came as a three-star in the Crimson Tide’s highly regarded 2017 signing class from Jacksonville, Fla. He came in the same class as Tua Tagovailoa, a former five-star, and shared a quarterback room with Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts. Jones did not back away from the competition, but he allowed it to grow him as a leader.
He took his moment when Tagovailoa got hurt in 2019 and ran with it.
Some thought Jones should not have been the starter in 2020; however, he was exactly what the Tide needed. Jones took Alabama in a Coronavirus shortened season and guided it to a CFP National Championship with a SEC-only schedule.
Simpson has that competitive drive mixed with a talented passing ability.
It will be interesting to see if he pulls out the starting job, beginning with next spring.
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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.
