The Alabama Crimson Tide lost quarterback Ty Simpson to the draft process after one season of being the program’s QB1 and returning them to the College Football Playoff. Bama coach Kalen DeBoer retained the services of last season’s backups, freshman Keelon Russell and sophomore Austin Mack, who will duke it out to become the QB1 next season.
The debate of which quarterback is best suited for DeBoer’s offense next season has continued to rage among Crimson Tide fans.
Ty Simpson Addresses Alabama’s QB Room Debate
During an interview with “Touchdown Alabama” on Friday, Simpson, who spent significant time around Russell and Mack last season, gave his views on the Crimson Tide’s quarterback room.
“It was one of the tightest QB rooms I’ve ever been a part of. Nobody had an ego,” Simpson said. “Being in the room with Austin for two years, I really just saw him grow, coming in and learning from Jalen (Milroe) and me. I’m really excited about his growth.
He added, “And then Keelon just coming in being eager, always wanting to work, always asking questions. Really excited about those two and their future.”
Ty Simpson on the Crimson Tide QB room:
“It was one of the best rooms I’ve ever been apart of. Being in the room with Austin for 2 years, I was able to watch him grow. Keelon coming in and being eager and just wanting to learn. I’m really excited about those two.” pic.twitter.com/XJH6GkMF7B
— Larry Rudolph (@ScoutFball) January 30, 2026
When Simpson was injured in the Rose Bowl against the Indiana Hoosiers, he was replaced by Mack, who went 11-of-16 for 103 yards. On the other hand, Russell is the highest-rated quarterback recruit the Crimson Tide managed to snag since Bryce Young and in two games for the program, has gone 11-of-15 for 143 yards and two touchdowns.
To further boost the quarterback room, DeBoer signed four-star prospects Tayden Kaawa and Jett Thomalla in the 2026 recruiting class.
Kalen DeBoer Satisfied With Bama QB Room
While several elite programs opted to boost their quarterback rooms with veteran presences via the transfer portal, DeBoer chose to stick with Mack and Russell. While speaking to reporters on Thursday, he revealed that he was satisfied with the duo battling it out for the privilege to be Bama’s QB1.
“It’s huge,” DeBoer said. “Two guys that know our system at quarterback. Just, again, with an offensive line that’s got some leaders that are gone, two quarterbacks that can carry over from last year, what we did and keep it moving forward.”
“I would say that you always love going into a season where you absolutely know who your quarterback is, but that won’t be the case. We’ll let these guys battle it out. Both guys have a year at minimum in our system, understanding what we’re trying to accomplish,” he added.
DeBoer addressed the Crimson Tide’s offensive line weaknesses from last season decisively by bringing in six transfers via the transfer portal and five players in the 2026 recruiting class, while firing offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic.
