Paul Finebaum Reacts to Big Ty Simpson News on Tuesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
A year after going 9-4 and suffering a 19-13 loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl, the Alabama Crimson Tide have spent the offseason recalibrating under coach Kalen DeBoer and trying to decide who will steer the offense in 2025.
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On Monday, Alabama officially named redshirt junior Ty Simpson its starting quarterback, selecting him over Washington transfer Austin Mack and five-star freshman Keelon Russell.
Multiple outlets had framed Simpson as the frontrunner throughout camp; the announcement formalized the direction DeBoer’s staff has been signalling since spring.
College football analyst Paul Finebaum was on the “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” podcast on Tuesday, calling Simpson’s selection “the least surprising story of the offseason,” indicating that DeBoer and his staff have been signalling this outcome for months.
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He added that the fact that this information is coming out now points to this team being in “tremendously solid shape,” with the program being absent of the usual “whispers” that sometimes trail unsettled quarterback rooms.
On the contrary, Finebaum believes that he “hasn’t heard anything that would indicate that this team is going to be anything but a national championship contender.”
Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15).© Will McLelland-Imagn Images
Who is Alabama Quarterback Ty Simpson?
Simpson is a former five-star recruit from Westview High School in Martin, Tennessee, who enrolled early at Alabama in January 2022 and stayed through coordinator changes and two seasons behind Jalen Milroe, positioning himself as the veteran in a three-man race.
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After appearing in just four games in 2022, Simpson worked as the backup quarterback in 2023, seeing action in six games and completing 11-of-20 passes for 179 yards as well as 86 yards on the ground with two rushing scores on 14 attempts.
Last season, Simpson again saw time in just six games as Milroe’s backup, completing 14-of-25 passes for 167 yards and 44 yards on the ground along with a rushing score.
Inside the Crimson Tide QB battle
From winter workouts to August, the competition stayed anchored to three names: Simpson, Mack and Russell.
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In late July, DeBoer emphasized the importance of “safety” and “high-percentage, short-gain plays,” specifically crediting Simpson for his “gimme” mentality and ability to take what the defense gives him.
DeBoer has also publicly highlighted Simpson’s accuracy and ability to throw a “catchable ball,” a trait that aligns with the staff’s stated priority on efficient, repeatable plays over sporadic explosiveness.
Naming Simpson now clarifies Alabama’s offensive identity and consolidates first-team reps ahead of a top-heavy schedule.
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The schedule won’t allow a gentle runway, however. Alabama opens at Florida State on Aug. 30 before early SEC tests at Georgia on Sept. 27, at Missouri on Oct. 11 and then back in Tuscaloosa on Oct. 18 against Tennessee.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
