How Kalen DeBoer is Managing Alabama's Quarterback Reps in Fall Camp

The Crimson Tide head coach opened up a bit more about the most discussed position group of the offseason.

Oct 26, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) makes a throw during warmups before a game against the Missouri Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images | Will McLelland-Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The story of the spring and summer is now finding its way into the fall. Alabama's quarterback battle for 2025 seems to have been decided even before last season ended, yet we still don't have an official name.

All signs point to redshirt junior Ty Simpson being the Crimson Tide's starting quarterback in Week 1 against Florida State. His competition is redshirt sophomore Austin Mack and true freshman and reigning Gatorade High School Football Player of the Year Keelon Russell.

Wednesday was the first day of fall camp for the Crimson Tide. After the practice, DeBoer spoke about the current state of the quarterback battle and how he's handling the reps that each member of the trio is earning.

"We'll start out pretty consistent with how we finished the spring," DeBoer said. "Keelon's reps continue to build up from what it was in the spring, when he was primarily with the 3s and 4s. But here early on, you're just installing and you're trying to give each quarterback, along with each other position and player, the reps of the install.

"Then once you get past that first round of installs, then you really start dialing in at that time. We'll play it by ear as we go because if someone separates themselves—one or two guys—then we make adjustments along the way."

DeBoer mentioned that all three quarterbacks have "taken steps through the summer and you could see they are definitely more comfortable with the install." He specifically discussed the approaches of Russell and Simpson.

"Keelon is probably the one you're going to see the biggest jump naturally and I feel like that was good. He's making quick decisions and not sitting there thinking too much. But I felt all of them did.

"With Ty, talk about all of the quarterbacks, but just the gimme, the plays that should be 100 percent, I felt he did that. He probably got more opportunities just because of the way the plays developed to have more of those gimmes, and those gimmes add up."

Overall, DeBoer likes "the mindset of our quarterbacks" because of their comfort level with the plays that aren't certain to be successful.

"When you can trust your quarterback to go through his progression and be OK with checking it down and not forcing something, you can call, as a play caller, a lot more balls down the field," DeBoer said.

"You'd know that it's just not going to be an incomplete pass or explosive play, there's going to be a progression and it's going to be some type of movement down the field that will put you in manageable down and distances, whether it's second, third or fourth."