GIF recap: Breaking down Ty Simpson’s dominance on intermediate throws

Alabama Quarterback Ty Simpson (15) in action against Wisconsin at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, AL on Saturday, Sep 13, 2025.

Intermediate passes plagued Jalen Milroe during his first year as a starter back in 2023. Those throws that travel 10-19 yards past the line of scrimmage are generally the most difficult for inexperienced quarterbacks, as they require the passer to pick apart the most crowded part of the field. 

That hasn’t been the case so far for Ty Simpson during his debut season as Alabama’s starter behind center. According to Pro Football Focus, the redshirt junior ranks second nationally with a 93.9 grade on intermediate passes. 

Through three games, Simpson is 16 of 23 for 335 yards and three touchdowns on intermediate throws. That includes a near-perfect performance against Wisconsin over the weekend, where he went 6 of 8 for 121 yards and two touchdowns, with both of his incompletions coming on drops. 

Here’s a closer look at how Simpson was able to slice through the Badgers’ secondary. 

First-and-10 from the Wisconsin 43 | 12:14, 2Q 

Simpson’s first touchdown of the game came on his first intermediate pass. Lining up out of the pistol formation, Alabama set up a play for Germie Bernard over the middle, as tight end Kaleb Edwards ran a clearout route to the right, while slot receiver Lotzier Brooks ran a corner route to his left. 

Once Simpson saw that Bernard was free over the middle, he stepped up and rifled a pass to the receiver, hitting him in stride at the 24-yard line and allowing him to run free to the end zone. 

Simpson did a nice job scanning the field before finding Benard. From there, he didn’t waste any time getting the ball out quickly to his target.