Alabama OC tells what the non-negotiables are for the Tide’s next starting quarterback

3/7/25 MFB Spring Practice 3 Alabama Quarterback Ty Simpson (15) Alabama Quarterback Keelon Russell (12) Photo by Kent Gidley

Alabama football’s offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb feels there are multiple traits the next Crimson Tide starting quarterback must possess.

Keelon Russell, Austin Mack and Ty Simpson are still competing to be the next starting signal caller at the University of Alabama. Grubb shared the competition is still an open one once again as a guest on Tide 100.9 while talking with Ryan Fowler on Thursday.

As Alabama’s staff continues to evaluate each quarterback, Grubb shared what will be some non-negotiables while talking with Fowler when asked what he and DeBoer are looking for in their next quarterback.

“The first thing is elite decision maker,” Grubb said. “You obviously got to have all the physical attributes so the ball can spread to the right place on the field but decision-making, command and leadership are non-negotiables. Those are things that every great quarterback is going to have. There are things we talk about quite a bit, the best guy, the best quarterback you want to have, they make everybody in the facility better.”

In the same interview, Grubb also confirmed Simpson was still the frontrunner in the competition after a solid spring.

“Ty took care of the football better,” Grubb told Fowler. “He operated better. I thought he improved for an older quarterback…As an older guy, especially towards the latter part of the spring, he really started to show more of those characteristics.”

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