Fresh Faces Make Up Familiar Challenge For Alabama Quarterback Ty Simpson

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- 5-star quarterback Ty Simpson had one goal when coming to Tuscaloosa to play college football out of Martin, Tennessee, to become the starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide.

In December of 2021, Simpson enrolled early at the University of Alabama after leading Westview High School to a Tennessee state championship and began the journey to where he is today. He spent three seasons backing up former Alabama quarterbacks Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe before earning his opportunity to lead the program as the starter this season.

The dual threat quarterback appeared in 16 games over three seasons as Alabama's backup quarterback and while that experience is certainly valuable, a different kind of experience may be the most beneficial to Simpson this weekend as he prepares to lead the Crimson Tide into Athens to take on the Georgia Bulldogs.

Simpson spent his first and second years as Alabama's scout team quarterback going up against Nick Saban's defense in practice everyday, the same defense, structurally, that the Bulldogs run under Kirby Smart.

“Very, very similar,” Simpson said. “Of course, I’ve been going against Coach Saban’s defense for two years, and literally, I feel like I’ve seen everything in the book from that guy. But I know Kirby and Coach Schumann. Travaris Robinson is over there, so a lot of respect to those guys. They throw their own twist on everything. So, I just need to be ready, understand my rules, and just don’t make it too big. Just keep it simple, and just play my game.”

Simpson went straight into Saban-ese on Wednesday as he described the Georgia defensive concepts, but quickly stopped himself and acknowledged the fact that it won't be the exact defenses he saw in practice under Saban.

“Absolutely, like the quarters world and stuff like that, the Rip/Liz match,” Simpson said. “But you also gotta understand I’m not going against Coach Saban. I’m going against Kirby and Coach Schumann and those guys, and then different players.

The only Georgia coach Simpson has experience with tangling with is co-defensive coordinator and former Alabama cornerbacks coach Travaris Robinson, who spent both Simpson's first two seasons on staff under Saban.

“So, it definitely has helped me, but I also understand this is a totally different defense, totally different team, totally different players.”

Simpson didn't play in last season's 41-34 thriller against Georgia, and it won't be Terrion Arnold, DeMarcco Hellams, Malachi Moore or Kool-Aid McKinstry trying to pick him off, but he'll still face a secondary loaded with talent on the back end.

“They’re really, really good,” Simpson said. “They got a bunch of returning players, like Daylen [Everette], KJ [Bolden], and other guys. They’re real physical. They got good ball skills. I got a lot of respect for those guys, man. So, it’s gonna be tough going after them.

“They got a great front, so it’ll be an exciting game. Great teams, great offense against a great defense, great vice versa on the other side of the ball. So, it’ll be an exciting spot, the mecca of college football.”

While Simpson enters his first SEC road game with a sense of familiarity with the defense he's facing, he still knows Smart, Schumann, and Robinson will dial up looks he didn't necessarily see going against Saban in practice.

"I know them having an off week like us, they're going to send a lot of stuff we haven't seen before, and it'll be difficult," Simpson said. "I've just got to be prepared and know my rules."