Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is expected to be the second quarterback off the board during the 2026 NFL Draft later this week after a stellar breakout season for the Crimson Tide. Simpson’s collegiate career ended in a humbling 38–3 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl, where Alabama was thoroughly dominated by the eventual national champions.
The lopsided result represented Alabama’s worst bowl loss in program history and their lowest scoring total in a postseason game since the 1960 Bluebonnet Bowl. Indiana’s defense held the Tide to just 193 total yards and a meager 23 rushing yards, sending an emphatic message against one of the SEC’s most historic powers. Despite the outcome, Simpson’s recent reflections on the game have sparked a firestorm among former players and coaches alike.
Michigan Legend Puts Ty Simpson on the Spot Over IU Comments
During a recent segment of the “Downs 2 Business” podcast hosted by Caleb and Josh Downs, Simpson analyzed the Hoosiers’ suffocating scheme led by defensive coordinator Bryant Haines. Simpson’s characterization of the defense as “simple” did not sit well with those who admired Indiana’s tactical execution during their perfect 16–0 season.
“From my point of view, they don’t do much,” Simpson said. “They do the same thing every down… They just didn’t mess up. They were in the exact same spot they were supposed to be. They were so well-coached. I knew what they were going to do. It was just so crazy to me how it happened.”
In a lengthy post on X on Monday, former Michigan tight end Jake Butt blasted Simpson for downplaying Indiana’s schematics. “Saying ‘we knew what the IU defense was doing every play’ when talking about one of the best defensive minds in CFB in Bryant Haines, is absolutely disrespectful,” Butt tweeted. “Maybe score more… don’t downplay the schematics when we all witnessed the entire IU staff continually have a schematic advantage all season long.”
Haines, who won the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant, also threw a jab at Simpson on social media. “Adorable,” Haines tweeted. “We also saw everything they were doing, on every single snap… It’s just that we exploited those cues and didn’t get frozen and crushed by them.”
Indiana’s defense finished the year with a PFSN College Defense Impact score of 97.9, the highest in the country. During the Rose Bowl, Simpson completed 12 of 16 passes for only 67 yards before exiting with a cracked rib. While he remains a projected first-round pick, his dismissive comments have provided plenty of bulletin board material for the Hoosiers as they prepare to defend their title in 2026.
