The Florida State-Alabama game is now only three weeks away, and the biggest question facing the Crimson Tide has yet to be answered: Who will play quarterback?
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer named redshirt junior Ty Simpson the leader at SEC Media Days last month, and many reports have indicated that he is still ahead of the pack.
While the Tide have yet to make a final decision, DeBoer did provide a little clarity on when that could happen after their first scrimmage Saturday morning.
“Timeline, I know that’s kind of what you want,” DeBoer told reporters in Tuscaloosa. “I feel like we’re getting closer. I would have said before camp we’ve definitely got to make a decision by the time we got done with the second scrimmage, and I would anticipate for sure that being the case. We’ll see how the next few days go.”
The main challenger for the starting job is redshirt sophomore Austin Mack. Mack has actually been in the offense the longest as he followed DeBoer from Washington after backing up Heisman Trophy finalist Michael Penix in 2023.
While true freshman and former five-star recruit Keelon Russell has been a topic of conversation among fans and media, most of DeBoer’s comments about him have centered around learning the system more than competing for the starting role.
It seems clear that Simpson and Mack are the two main options.
“I think commanding the huddle, I think your two guys that have been around the offense the longest, Ty and Austin,” DeBoer said. “When they get in a huddle and they’ve got to rattle off a play, they’re sharp and confident with it.”
The second-year Alabama coach did say Saturday that all three quarterbacks have done a good job of taking care of the football. He stated that there were no interceptions thrown in Saturday’s scrimmage, and there have only been a few thrown all camp.
“No picks today and a few touchdown passes,” DeBoer said. “I don’t know the exact number of touchdown passes between all three of them, and the completion percentage over the course of camp for all three has been in that range that we want. Like to have a minimum of 65 percent, and they done a good job being consistent.
“They take care of the football. I think there’s been maybe three picks all camp, when we talk about 7-on-7 drills, team drills. I might be off by one, probably not off by two. But they’re doing a good job of taking care of the football. And I think the first week just missed a few plays. The last few practices [they’ve been] finding ways to get explosives.”
Florida State and Alabama will clash at Doak Campbell Stadium at 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 30.
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