Ty Simpson Shares Thoughts on Being Alabama's Starter at Quarterback

Simpson's status as the starter was publicly revealed on Monday evening.

Ty Simpson (15) hands the football off to Jam Miller (26). | Alabama Athletics

On Monday morning, years of waiting paid off for Ty Simpson. That was when, according to Alabama's NIL collective, it was officially decided that Simpson had won the offseason quarterback battle and will make his first career start on Aug. 30 at Florida State.

"My journey is like no other. And I think it meant a lot to the guys as well, knowing that I’ve had opportunities to leave and I didn’t because I want to be here and I want to be with my guys," Simpson told Yea Alabama on Monday.

Indeed, Simpson would have been far from an anomaly if he had decided at any point to seek different fortunes at another program after playing as a backup at Alabama since the 2022 season. He has appeared in 16 games, recording 381 passing yards and three rushing scores.

"Not only is it hard, sitting and waiting in this new era of college football, but you are sitting and waiting at the best, most competitive college football program in the nation," Simpson said. "I’m very excited for the opportunity I’ve been given.”

Head coach Kalen DeBoer, whose arrival at Alabama Simpson's precedes, said consistency and character won the day for the redshirt junior. DeBoer praised Simpson's leadership, command of the offense and growth throughout the offseason.

"He really came into fall camp and had this way about him that was just confident, had a swagger, ut not something where it was all about him or in an arrogant way. He’s continued to take steps from what he did this spring. And he’s done a great job taking care of the football and still being a guy who will push it down the field and create explosives," the second-year coach said.

Austin Mack was with DeBoer at Washington and served as one of two other primary competitors for the quarterback job, in addition to true freshman Keelon Russell. This past weekend, the team had its first scrimmage of fall camp at Bryant-Denny Stadium, and Mack addressed the team afterwards by sharing his gratitude for Simpson's treatment of him as an equal and willingness to be there for him.

"That room is crazy tight," DeBoer said. "When I keep saying that there’s a healthy competition and there’s a high level of character, and that these guys are really focused on themselves first and foremost, and leading in their own way, it all overlaps... It's real."

DeBoer, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan broke the news to the three hopefuls during a position meeting. When that happened, the coaches expressed pride in their players for the relationship they have and the character they showed. Grubb had previously backed Simpson during the spring and summer as the leading candidate to win the job.

"He [Simpson] continued to stay and keep fighting and do it in a way where he never lowered his level of character, and always kept being a great teammate, first and foremost," DeBoer said. "So it makes it really easy, from a teammate standpoint, to root for him.”