What Area of Football Has Ty Simpson Most Improved in Since Week 1? Just a Minute

Welcome to BamaCentral’s "Just a Minute," a video series featuring BamaCentral's Alabama beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers will provide their take on a topic concerning the Crimson Tide or the landscape of college sports.

Watch the above video as BamaCentral staff writer Hunter De Siver discusses Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson's growth.

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has shown growth, it seems, in every game throughout the first half of the college football season.

The redshirt junior is currently in his first year as the starter after waiting his turn for three years on the Crimson Tide's sideline. Simpson has certainly made the most of it, as he's skyrocketing his stock for the 2026 NFL Draft every week, and he's also rising in the Heisman Trophy odds with each win as well.

But it didn't start that way. Simpson was the man under center for Alabama's Week 1 loss to Florida State. It was the Crimson Tide's first season-opening loss since 2001. He, along with the rest of the team, was quickly written off and labeled as contributors to the end of the Alabama dynasty. Simpson completed just 53.5 percent of his passes that day and took a while to make some crucial decisions inside and outside of the pocket.

But Simpson proceeded to lock in, take accountability and flip a switch. Since then, he's had just one game completing under 74 percent of his attempts, as he was 63.5 percent with three total touchdowns in the historic road win over then-No. 5 Georgia. Simpson also leads the SEC in touchdown passes with 16 and has only thrown one interception all season.

So, what area of football has Simpson most improved in since Week 1? Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer shared his thoughts during Wednesday's SEC coaches teleconference.

"I think there's a number, I don't know if I could pick one," DeBoer said. "I think he's done a great job of taking what the defense gives him. When you stack plays, he's got the ability and more opportunities to make the explosive throws.

"And then I just think mentally, he's really done a great job of being able to move on to the next play. He wants it to be perfect, but it's not always going to be that way. He's got a confidence in himself that he can move on, as well as his teammates."

Simpson's mindset of wanting to perfect was on full display during the road win over then-No. 14 Missouri last Saturday. He was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday for his three-touchdown performance, but during the postgame media availability, he read aloud a packet that contained his and the team's stats. He was disappointed with some things, including a lost fumble and taking numerous sacks.

It's a true example of why he wears the "C" on his jersey.

"He's just really stepped up as a leader," DeBoer said. "Obviously, through production and him performing at the level he has in a few of those games right after that first Week 1 game, that's given him a lot of confidence, as well as his teammates and our staff."

What do you think? What area of the game has Simpson improved in the most?

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