Don’t get your hopes: What happens on Saturday in Alabama’s new A-Day format will be a deciding factor in who will debut as week 1 of quarterbacks against Florida in the Crimson Tide.
Yes, anti-climax, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a critical data point in one of the most attractive quarterback fights in college football, where spring continues.
For Alabama, it remains a three-headed battle.
Veteran Ty Simpson took part in spring practice as a banned favourite to win his first job, leaving the same favourite status. The original five-star quarterback was the most experienced, and after fighting Jalen Milroe two seasons ago he was patiently waiting for a chance to execute the offense.
Simpson is more athletic than he is trusted, and he has long incorporated the program. Last season, he elicited strong support from people in the program, even though he had never started Milllaw. There’s a reason why he didn’t transfer any of the last two offseasons despite many opportunities. However, even with always at Alabama, he still pitched only 39 career paths with zero touchdowns.
Austin Mac is Simpson’s biggest competition, but there are mixed opinions about how many opportunities he has to win the job. Around California native Mac was already a rumble of transfers around Mac, who first signed Karen DeBoer’s Washington program and became the first player to chase him in Tuscaloosa. The 6-foot-6 quarterback should benefit from offensive coordinator Ryan Glub returning to Alabama, and he has an attractive raw skill set. Mac remains a mystery to fans in many ways, and may be the most interesting player when he ran with his first team on Saturday.
And then there’s true freshman Kieron Russell, the number two rookie in 247Sports’ 2025 ranking class. Russell is a special player and future in Alabama’s offense, but the question is when the future has become the present. People around the program have publicly and personally raved about Russell, and believe he is the star he was created, but it may be difficult for a true freshman to start at the Southeastern Conference. At the very least, if you think Russell is a man, you’ll need to play him late in the spring to avoid hitting the transfer portal.
Managing a busy QB room can be tricky. If Deboer goes with Russell, both Simpson and Mack could be gone. A safer play to start the season at least is to use the Simpson’s most experienced options to tell the younger people to continue fighting for their work and see what happens. I even saw this play for Alabama when Blake Burnett first started in 2016, but soon real freshman Jalen hurt him and lost his job.
College Football Spring Game 2025 Schedule, Date, Time, Cancellation Team Scrap Traditional Scrimmage
It’ll be Bacchus
At that point, Deboer and his staff emphasize that it’s an open competition and that everyone still has the opportunity to win the job.
“I don’t think anyone has separated,” offensive coordinator Grubb recently told ESPN. “They’re all playing well, but they’re not playing great yet. You’re looking for a guy who’s consistent, shows up the same thing and can always make the same play.”
On Saturdays, fans will be fed a lot of offseason feed. What the three quarterbacks will look like in the final spring practice is an inspiration for many debates across Yellowhammer State. And it may require clever manipulation from the coaching staff, especially if it looks good (or in that respect if it’s the opposite).
It’s a long way to go until August 30th in Tallahassee. As is now, there is a real chance that competition will grow into the season, even Game 1 starters may not be on the most reliable footing.
Simpson is my current favorite, but there may be some twists and bends along the way. This Alabama quarterback fight looks like a marathon, but the spring football sprint is definitely not something that can be decided.
