DeBoer Says QBs ‘Aren’t Where we Need to be’

Earlier on Monday, Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb announced that if Alabama had to play a game tomorrow, Ty Simpson has earned the right to start.

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Thankfully for Kalen DeBoer, Alabama does not play a game tomorrow. DeBoer still has 138 days to name a starting quarterback before Alabama takes on Florida State on August 30 in the first game of the 2025 college football season. While he echoed Grubb's sentiment that Simpson has earned the right and is trending upward, DeBoer still thinks the quarterbacks have a long way to go before they see the Seminoles.

"I think there's a lot of great things they've all done," DeBoer said. "Ty [Simpson] continues to, I think, trend upward. I think all of them have really, you know, added to their game. They're all at different spots because Keelon [Russell] is learning the system. The other two know it better for sure. Ty has been around and has done a nice job."

"The tending upward is a big piece to it. Ty is an accurate thrower," DeBoer said. "There's always gonna be balls that every guy wants back, but I think the ability to learn from your mistakes, learn from other people's mistakes, being able to comprehend things, not be overwhelmed, I think he's just had more time. They're all doing a lot of really good things together as a group."

Despite the praise and Grubb's support, DeBoer did have critiques of the quarterbacks and still thinks Alabama has a long way to go before being ready for August 30.

"I will say, we're not where we need to be at the quarterback position yet," DeBoer continued. "I feel like that exists within our team to have that level be accomplished, but this is part of the process. I shared with the team that we're not where we need to be as a team. I hope we don't ever think that. It's never been that case everywhere I've been, any year I've been a part of to where you finish spring ball in April and you're like 'okay, we're good to go,' you know. People ask are you ready for the season. No, I'm not. We got a lot of work to do between now and August, and I think that's the case with the quarterback position."

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Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.