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Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Will Alabama football be healthy in fall camp? Kalen DeBoer gives Crimson Tide injury update
MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — Kalen DeBoer is confident. The Alabama football coach, once the Crimson Tide takes the field this August, will be fully healthy. At SEC Spring Meetings May 27, DeBoer said there are "too many, as a whole, that are still coming off of last season," who missed sprung practice. Heading into the summer workouts DeBoer said "there'll be a pretty good group that now is in full swing" and a few that will be limited. Advertisement 'But by the time we hit August, we feel very confident that we will have everyone back and be ready to roll at the level we need to," DeBoer said. Players like linebacker Deontae Lawson, defensive back Keon Sabb and Domani Jackson were out for spring, while offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, defensive lineman James Smith and linebacker Justin Jefferson were limited. Ryan Williams was also held out for the Alabama football A-Day scrimmage. Alabama also had an extremely limited tight end room with Marshall Pritchett, Josh Cuevas and Danny Lewis out with injuries, leading to the additions of Brody Dalton and Jack Sammarco via the transfer portal. Not only is DeBoer confident that he will have a full Alabama roster come August, he predicted that is hungry. Advertisement "Guys are pouring everything into it right now," DeBoer said. "They are almost over the top with the work they want to put in because of the desire they have to, you want to be great and have an amazing season. Coming off of last year, they want to prove some people right and prove some people wrong." Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@ or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Kalen DeBoer gives Alabama football injury update
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
After Ty Simpson declaration, what's next for Austin Mack, Keelon Russell in Alabama football QB room?
Ryan Grubb didn't hide where the Alabama football quarterback position stands post spring ball. If the Crimson Tide were heading to Tallahassee, Florida, to face Florida State tomorrow, he said, Ty Simpson would be the starter. Plain and simple. Advertisement Inside look at Alabama QB battle: How has Ty Simpson navigated Alabama football quarterback battle? I asked his dad But it's not because of a lack of production. Grubb said he has been "super happy" with Simpson, Austin Mack and Keelon Russell in the quarterback room this spring. What Grubb is looking for is the quarterback who can "take in a game plan and function correctly." For now, that's Simpson. But both Grubb and head coach Kalen DeBoer laid out the plan for Mack and Russell to take that next step this summer into the fall. "If you're not ready for the scrutiny or just the competition level, the mindset you need to have at quarterback to play at any level, much less the SEC or at Alabama, I think that those guys showed that, that they can lead this team every day," Grubb said. Austin Mack 'made huge strides' with Alabama football Apr 12, 2025; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama quarterback Austin Mack (10) throws during A-Day at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images Mack isn't the brand new quarterback. He isn't Simpson either who Grubb said has "been around the block." Advertisement But in Mack, Grubb sees a quarterback who has made "huge strides." "He came out and developed just with some of the nuances and taking care of the football, and things like that," Grubb said. "Ty showed out a bit better." DeBoer said Mack is one of two quarterbacks, along with Simpson, who "knows the system" well. In the spring game, Mack threw multiple interceptions and struggled with his accuracy in 7-on-7 reps. Mack also has one thing the rest of the quarterback room doesn't: a collegiate touchdown pass. Kalen DeBoer wants 'consistency' from Keelon Russell Russell is still learning the system, DeBoer said. But the Alabama coach said he's seen glimpses of what made Russell Alabama's highest-rated quarterback signee since Bryce Young. Advertisement "He had some really big days," DeBoer said. "You saw a lot of flashes of what he's capable of." Russell, DeBoer said, balanced those big days with some "big mistakes." "It's growth, it's learning," DeBoer said. "He's in it. He's the same guy every single day. That's what you love about him. Just consistency. He's going to be a guy where you can attack a defense, and I think all of our quarterbacks have that ability with their arm to get after the opponent." Russell continues to remind Grubb of Michael Penix Jr. because of the freshman's demeanor and his calmness. "Honestly, Keelon, he exceeded my expectations," Grubb said. "A young man his age, he never gave into that opportunity. We challenged him with that: 'Don't give in to I'm a freshman. ...' He didn't do that." Advertisement Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@ or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Next steps for Austin Mack, Keelon Russell in Alabama football QB room
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How has Ty Simpson navigated Alabama football quarterback battle? I asked his dad
When Jason Simpson watched his son walk off the bus and into Bryant-Denny Stadium for Alabama football's A-Day practice, Ty Simpson was walking with one of his competitors. Ty Simpson, the redshirt junior quarterback, walked with Keelon Russell, the freshman quarterback and five-star phenom, into his first Crimson Tide spring game. And as both approached the stadium, Jason Simpson saw his son whisper something to Russell. Advertisement 'I asked (Ty) later, 'What did you tell him as y'all were walking in?'' Jason Simpson told the Tuscaloosa News. 'He said, 'I was just telling him, hey, this is a spring game. You got to see it on game day how awesome this place is.'' Ty Simpson knows what an offseason quarterback battle looks like. He's been there. He's done that. With that experience in tow, Simpson left as the leader in the clubhouse. 'At the end of the day, if we're playing a football game tomorrow, Ty Simpson would start,' Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said Monday. 'And he earned that, okay? And I know that's the line everybody's looking for, but that is what he earned.' As a dad, Jason Simpson is not surprised by Grubb's proclamation. Jason Simpson has confidence in Ty, the Alabama quarterback who has been there, who's been loyal, and who has put everything into being Alabama's next quarterback. Advertisement But as Jason Simpson, the UT Martin football coach, he also knows Alabama is not his team. It's not his program. He has his own quarterback battle to deal with. Jason Simpson, describing himself as Ty Simpson's number one fan and number one critic, knows what his son's summer looks like before Alabama's quarterback battle ramps back up in August. 'I think you have to be yourself,' Jason Simpson said. 'But now, when it becomes your turn, the torch gets passed on and there's responsibilities you have to be comfortable with.' Ty Simpson 'understands' Alabama football quarterback battle Jason Simpson remembers seeing a change in Ty's demeanor before spring football even started. Advertisement During spring break, Jason and Ty were watching Alabama cut ups and plays with members of a UT Martin coaching staff eager to glean any advantage it could from the Crimson Tide. 'I'd say, 'Ty, how are y'all blocking this up? How are you reading this coverage?'' Jason Simpson said. 'Not only did he know, because sometimes the player can know, but can't teach it. I'm sitting there with seven or eight grown men from my offensive staff in there, and Ty felt comfortable getting up on the board to draw it up. He was able not only to know it himself, but speak it to where people who know football, who coach it on a daily basis, they looked at him like a young coach.' Jason Simpson said Ty's mindset is consistent with how the Alabama football coaching staff teaches scheme, a staff, Jason said, is on the 'cutting edge,' especially after Grubb's hire. It's a staff, Jason said, that is pulling in the same direction, one where he sees a 'great dynamic.' Advertisement 'You can tell they have all worked together before,' Jason Simpson said. 'Everybody's in their role, and there's just a different edge to it now. Because let me tell you, being the quarterback coach and the coordinator, that's a challenge now. Now Nick (Sheridan is) able to spend all that time with his quarterbacks and Grubb is able to see all the details and stuff and give the edge.' Through the coaching staff's comfort with one another, Jason Simpson has seen Ty 'evolve and grow and get better mentally and physically.' And it has become more than just about the quarterback's on-field play. 'I think Ty, he did a good job not getting too high with the highs or too low with the lows,' Jason Simpson said. 'He's been through a quarterback battle before. He understands that it's about taking care of the football and limiting turnovers, ending possessions with a kick, whether it be a field goal or a PAT. Winning games is not about stats, even though you need to play at a high percentage. It's about moving the football team. It's about winning the locker room over and developing relationships with your teammates and being able to demand greatness from each other.' To Jason, Ty Simpson's leadership has been clear. Advertisement Ty, who has been a part of the football team's leadership council since before spring ball started, hosted teammates at his house after A-Day Saturday. As Jason left town, he saw offensive and defensive players alike coming in. As Ty Simpson navigates a quarterback battle, Jason Simpson already sees a quarterback. 'Yeah, you got NIL and you got that money and all that kind of stuff right now,' Jason Simpson said. 'But it's still a team sport. When those four quarters hit and that stadium's loud, man, those relationships, they help you.' Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@ or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Inside look at Ty Simpson place in Alabama football quarterback battle
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
More than half the SEC will have new QBs in 2025, though some changes come with continuity
Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, red shorts, stands with Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell (12) between plays during Alabama's A-Day NCAA college football practice and autograph session, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) is also pictured. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt) Georgia Red Team quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) looks to pass the ball during the NCAA college football team's spring game, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard) FILE - Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) warms up before an NCAA college football game against Alabama, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File) Georgia Red Team quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) celebrates with teammates after throwing a touchdown pass during the NCAA college football team's spring game, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard) Florida's injured quarterback DJ Lagway, (2) signs autographs during the Orange and Blue spring NCAA college football game, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Gainesville, Fla. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel via AP) Florida's injured quarterback DJ Lagway, (2) signs autographs during the Orange and Blue spring NCAA college football game, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Gainesville, Fla. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel via AP) Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, red shorts, stands with Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell (12) between plays during Alabama's A-Day NCAA college football practice and autograph session, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) is also pictured. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt) Georgia Red Team quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) looks to pass the ball during the NCAA college football team's spring game, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard) FILE - Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) warms up before an NCAA college football game against Alabama, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File) Georgia Red Team quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) celebrates with teammates after throwing a touchdown pass during the NCAA college football team's spring game, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard) Florida's injured quarterback DJ Lagway, (2) signs autographs during the Orange and Blue spring NCAA college football game, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Gainesville, Fla. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel via AP) More than half the teams in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference will have new starting quarterbacks this fall. Many of the changes were expected. Some were needed. All of them will be overly dissected before training camps open in August. Advertisement Alabama ( Jalen Milroe ), Auburn (Payton Thorne) Missouri (Brady Cook), Ole Miss ( Jaxson Dart ) and Texas ( Quinn Ewers ) lost entrenched starters to the NFL. But those typical progressions were hardly the norm elsewhere. Georgia's Carson Beck transferred to Miami. Tennessee's Nico Iamaleava bailed on a $2.4 million name, image and likeness deal and ended up at UCLA. Oklahoma's Jackson Arnold landed at Auburn. And Kentucky's Brock Vandagriff retired from football after getting benched. 'A new day and age in football,' said current Florida backup quarterback Harrison Bailey, who previously played at Tennessee, UNLV and Louisville. 'I'm glad I'm getting out of it.' The burgeoning transfer portal — the lure of more money or a better opportunity elsewhere, really — continues to create roster turnover in college football, and no school appears safe from the chaos. Advertisement Not even the SEC, which has every head coaching returning for the first time since 2019 and for just the second time since 2005. Despite all the different faces under center, 10 SEC schools are poised to start the season with some level of continuity at the all-important QB position. The holdovers Arkansas' Taylen Green, Florida's DJ Lagway, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, Mississippi State's Blake Shapen, South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers, Texas A&M's Marcel Reed and Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia have significant experience in their current systems. Sellers, though, has a new offensive coordinator, former Alabama coach Mike Shula. Advertisement Green could make a jump in his second year under offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. Lagway and Sellers, athletic big men with above-average arms, look like budding stars who could carry improving teams to the College Football Playoff. Nussmeier is entering his third year in coach Brian Kelly's system. Shapen, a sixth-year senior, is healthy again. Reed flashed early last season before losing four of his final starts as a freshman. And Pavia was a bright spot for the Commodores, finishing with 20 touchdown passes and four interceptions. The not-so-newcomers Georgia's Gunner Stockton came up big in last year's SEC championship game against Texas and should benefit from sitting behind Beck the last two seasons. Ole Miss is confident Austin Simmons will step in for Dart and keep the Rebels rolling. And the Longhorns have been waiting two years for Arch Manning to take the spotlight. Advertisement 'I hope he's got a really hard decision to make around January 21,' Texas coach Steve Sarkisian told the Houston Touchdown Club this week. 'That means we played a long time. That means he played a really good season. And that means he's trying to figure out do I want one more year in the burnt orange or is it time to go to the NFL? 'I hope it's a really hard decision. I hope it's not a no-brainer to come back to school.' Everyone else The six remaining schools – Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee – have varying degrees of uncertainty about their QBs following spring football. Advertisement Alabama is turning to Ty Simpson. Auburn is expected to go with transfer Jackson Arnold. Kentucky is taking a chance with transfer Zach Calzada, who is entering his seventh collegiate season. Missouri appears content with Penn State transfer Beau Pribula, who signed a $1.5 million NIL. Oklahoma believes its new duo from Washington State – quarterback John Mateer and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle – will pay immediate dividends. Tennessee might have the most to figure out. The Volunteers ended up with UCLA transfer Joey Aguilar in a pseudo trade. But Aguilar still has to beat out Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre for the job. 'I'm looking forward to being a part of the traditions, the fans, and the legacy of winning at Tennessee,' Aguilar wrote on social media. 'I'm ready to get to work, compete at the highest level and building something special with my teammates and coaches. I can't wait to get to Rocky Top!' Advertisement ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alabama Football Extends Historic NFL Draft Stretch
Since 2008, the Alabama football program has finished inside the final AP Top 25 Poll each season. Coincidentally, Alabama has become the pinnacle of top-end professional talent during that span. Although the Crimson Tide failed to win double-digit games in 2024 for the first time in 17 seasons, NFL franchises did not shy away from the pedigree associated with the program. On Thursday, during night one of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected Alabama guard Tyler Booker with the 12th overall pick. With the 31st pick, the Philadelphia Eagles traded up for former Crimson Tide superstar linebacker Jihaad Campbell. Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker (52) celebrates after the offense scored a touchdown during the A-Day scrimmage at Bryant-Denny Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images With the selection of Campbell and Booker, an Alabama player has gone in the first round for a record 17th consecutive season. In second is Ohio State, who has had a first-round pick for nine straight seasons, while Georgia is at eight years. Advertisement After failing to have any selection during the 2008 NFL Draft, Alabama offensive tackle Andre Smith went to the Cincinnati Bengals with the sixth overall pick in 2009. Rolando McClain and Kareem Jackson went in the first round in 2010, while a then-record four players (Marcell Dareus, Julio Jones, James Carpenter, and Mark Ingram) went during the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. 2015 (Ryan Kelly) and 2016 (Amari Cooper) are the only years since 2009 in which only one Alabama player went in the first round. Meanwhile, following an undefeated 2020 campaign, six Crimson Tide players (Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, Patrick Surtain, Mac Jones, Alex Leatherwood, and Najee Harris) went in the subsequent draft. Related: Jihaad Campbell Drafted by Super Bowl-Champion Eagles
