Get ready, folks, because something exciting is happening with Alabama’s quarterbacks. While all eyes were locked on Keelon Russell and Austin Mack, a quiet storm was brewing behind the scenes that no one cared for. A strong force from Tennessee is pulling up his game in Bama, and it seems like Bama’s offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb, is pretty impressed with it. This isn’t just idle chatter—it smells like clarity. And if this is true, head coach Kalen DeBoer might have already gotten his guy. Forget the flashy highlights—someone is making big moves, earning trust, and shaking up the quarterback room well before summer training even begins.

It looks like Bama’s quarterback battle might have finally reached its destination. Grubb has finally answered the biggest question coming out of this season’s spring camp. The battle between Austin Mack, Keelon Russell, and Ty Simpson intensified with every passing day. And now they have their frontrunner. “At the end of the day, if we’re playing a football game tomorrow, Ty Simpson would start,” Grubb said. “He earned that. I know that’s the line that everybody is looking for. But that is what he earned.” No wonder experience speaks for itself.

And even On3’s J.D. PicKell added a layer of surety over Ryan Grubb’s stance on Ty Simpson and said, “If there was a game tomorrow, Ty Simpson would start. It’s not over, but I don’t think Ryan Grubb says something like this unless he feels comfortable enough about the gap between Ty Simpson and the other two quarterbacks.” He further talks about how Ryan Grubb could have easily made his way out of this question, but he made things crystal clear: “If you didn’t feel that way, you would just say, ‘No, I think that, you know, Austin Mack looks good. Keelon Russell looks good. All three are doing a great job. We’ll see where we are in the fall.’ A boring answer, a safe answer, would make a lot of sense.”

Look, this isn’t something out of the blue. It’s been 2 years since Ty Simpson lost the starting job to Jalen Milroe in the 2023 season. And he is the one who knows Bama’s system well, having served as No. 2 behind Milroe and even appearing in six games last season, completing 14 of 25 passes for 167 yards while adding 44 yards and a TD on the ground. And let’s not forget that he is the one who’s shining bright in the spring practice too. He is the only passer who didn’t throw a single interception in Saturday’s open A-Day practice.

This guy is doing everything a starting quarterback should do. No wonder Ryan Grubb’s showing confidence in him. And even J.D. PicKell is showing confidence over his consistency while comparing him with Milroe, saying, “The wide receiver room is far too good for you to not have somebody consistent behind center. You can’t have Jalen Milroe looking like he did against Georgia one game and then looking like he did against Oklahoma the next. You’ve got to have something stable at quarterback, so with that being the case, I think that’s encouraging to hear Ty Simpson, you know, really started as a leader.”

Even Kalen DeBoer stepped in and doubled down on Ryan Grubb’s claim, saying, “Ty has been around and just has done a nice job. I think that [him] trending upward is a big piece of it. Ty’s an accurate thrower. There’s always going to be balls that every guy wants back, but I think the ability to learn from your mistakes, learn from other people’s mistakes, to be able to comprehend things and not be overwhelmed—I think that he’s had more time.” Look, the race for the starting role isn’t over yet. There’s an entire summer camp remaining for things to change, but for now, every update is pointing straight at Ty Simpson.

But let’s not forget that the spring portal might change things for Kalen DeBoer and the team.

Kalen DeBoer launches straight portal warning in Tuscaloosa

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer isn’t mincing words as the spring transfer portal opens. Post-spring practice, he told reporters Alabama players should carefully consider leaving. “The guys that you want around you, whether it’s coaches or players, they have a good head on their shoulders,” Kalen DeBoer said. “They can have perspective on what they really, truly have here at Alabama.”

Kalen DeBoer didn’t just stop at that. He lauded the Tide’s top-tier facilities and coaching staff. DeBoer cautioned that transferring isn’t always beneficial. “We can talk about the stories of guys who have come in and said how great it is here, or guys that have left and, you know, maybe even wishing they could come back. Be careful what you ask for. The grass is definitely not greener on the other side.” said DeBoer. Now, with NIL and the transfer portal playing their cards right, there’s no way players can understand the depth of DeBoer’s warning.

But one prime example who made this mistake and later regretted is offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, who transferred to Iowa last offseason, then reconsidered and returned to Alabama. DeBoer and his staff prioritize making players feel valued, preventing even the thought of leaving. “You just continue to add to their value, add to what they can do,” he explained. “Make them feel like they’ve got a strong role on our team that they’re developing and growth continues to happen.”

With the transfer portal open until April 25, DeBoer’s focus is on reinforcing team unity. He stressed trust, development, and open communication. “They know that we care about them, and they know that we need them to help us accomplish our goals as a team,” he stated. While offering no guarantees, he hopes Alabama avoids any unexpected departures this spring.