Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson faces a familiar yet unique challenge when the Crimson Tide travels to Georgia this weekend. After spending two years training under Nick Saban, Simpson now prepares to face Saban’s most successful former assistant, Kirby Smart, who brings his own version of a notoriously complex defensive scheme to Athens.
Ty Simpson Reveals Key Differences Between Saban and Smart Defenses
Simpson spent two full seasons practicing against Saban’s defense, which gave him an invaluable education against one of college football’s most sophisticated units. Now, as Alabama’s starting quarterback, he must take on Smart’s Georgia defense, a system that shares a foundation with his old coach’s but is layered with its own distinct challenges.
“Very, very similar,” Simpson said about the two defensive schemes. “I’ve been going against Coach Saban’s defenses for two years… literally, I feel like I’ve seen everything in the book from that guy. I know Kirby, and Coach Schuman, and T-Rob is over there- lots of respect for those guys, and they throw their own twists on everything over there. You gotta understand, right, I’m not going against Coach Saban. I’m going against Kirby and Coach Schuman and those guys and those players.”
Ty Simpson on the similarities between Saban and Kirby’s defenses:
“Very very similar. I’ve been going against Coach Saban’s defenses for two years… literally I feel like I’ve seen everything in the book from that guy.
I know Kirby, and Coach Schuman, and T-Rob is over there-…
— Sidelines – Bama (@SSN_Alabama) September 23, 2025
The connection between these two defensive minds runs deep. Smart served as Saban’s defensive coordinator for eight seasons at Alabama, helping build the foundation for multiple championship runs. Even more telling, every defensive coordinator who has worked under Smart at Georgia also coached under Saban at some point, creating a vast family tree of defensive philosophy.
However, Simpson recognizes that Georgia will not just run a carbon copy of Saban’s playbook. Smart and his staff are known for adding creative elements that make their defense uniquely formidable. This means Simpson cannot rely solely on his practice experience at Alabama to prepare for Saturday’s crucial game.
For his part, Smart has shown plenty of respect for Simpson’s abilities. The Georgia coach called the Alabama quarterback “probably the hottest quarterback in all of college football right now” after watching film of Simpson completing 41 of 46 passes for 608 yards and seven touchdowns in his last two games.
MORE: John Mateer Responds to Nick Saban’s ‘Rat Poison’ Theory That Personally Impacts Oklahoma QB
“His two last outings, I don’t know if I’ve seen an incompletion,” Smart told reporters. “Like, the ball does not hit the ground. He’s been accurate, he’s been quick with the ball.”
Simpson’s disciplined preparation is reflected in his recent performance. He has thrown for 862 yards and nine touchdowns through three games while completing 71% of his passes. That success directly results from his patient development during his time behind other quarterbacks at Alabama.
Ultimately, this matchup represents more than just a game between two top-tier programs. It showcases the coaching rivalry between a mentor and his former student, with Simpson caught directly during their defensive chess match.
