When Kalen DeBoer took the mic last week, he didn’t drop a bombshell. And he didn’t need to. While all his competing QBs got their flowers, one name stands out. “I’m pleased with how they’ve made strides, starting with Ty, I’m pleased with what he’s doing,” he said. “They all need to keep taking those steps forward in the weeks ahead.” So it’s clear. While Ty Simpson’s name is rising above, the gates are still far from closed. And now deep into evaluating his QB room without the whistle blowing and full-speed reps, the second-year Alabama HC made it clear—June is the next step. 

At the SEC spring meetings speech, Kalen DeBoer found himself being thrown the QB question yet again. This time, how to handle the assessment in a practice-limited month. At the SEC Spring Meetings in Florida this Tuesday, he equally hyped all the quarterbacks, without naming any specifically.

“In June, we get more opportunities to be around them, whether it’s in the classroom or on the field, so yeah, there’s leadership,” he said. “All were doing things through the month of May on their own, and they don’t have to let us know what they’re all doing because position coaches are keeping track of all their guys… These guys did a great job, all three of them, of really doing some of those leadership things and going places and bringing guys together.” But there are some factors that are going to matter more in this selection, and it’s not all about who has the highest completion rate. 

In Kalen DeBoer’s own words, “June will be a big month” heading into August. “It doesn’t always come down to who has the highest completion percentage because sometimes it’s so close,” he admitted. “It’s a lot of times a mixture of who’s moving the b— down the field the most. Who’s keeping the b—, who’s making the least amount of mistakes, big mistakes in particular.” So it’s not about the flashiest nor the 5-star hype train. The focus is on the guy who can win drives and not lose games. 

So who’s going to be that? There’s Ty Simpson, the seasoned junior who’s been in the Bama system since the Bryce Young era. There’s Austin Mack, the dark horse who followed his coach from Washington. And of course, there’s Keelon Russell, the 5-star gem who’s also the No. 2 QB in the class of 2025, turning heads with his talent and poise. But here’s where things get interesting.

Kalen DeBoer’s squad knows who their leader is  

Ty Simpson, once a blue-chip himself, has been the main focus lately. After three years behind Young and Jalen Milroe, he’s now commanding respect in quiet ways—the leadership moments, the unsupervised workouts, the subtle control of the huddle. And when Alabama RB Daniel Hill appeared in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, he voiced his opinion that this QB deserves more hype than he’s already getting.

“Most underrated player? Ty Simpson,” he said. That’s a teammate throwing the weight of the locker room behind a team leader. 

Daniel Hill can’t even wait to show everyone what Ty Simpson’s really made of—“Everybody will see this season. He’s putting in a lot of work, you know, for the years that he’s been at Alabama, and it will show this year for sure.”

He also has the praise of the Tide OC, Ryan Grubb. “If we’re playing a football game tomorrow, Ty Simpson would start,” he said. “He earned that… Just with some of the nuances and taking care of the football… Ty showed out a little bit better.” But the real test is soon to come.

Fall camp looms. August 30 vs. Florida State approaches. And unless something drastic happens, Ty Simpson might just be Kalen DeBoer’s weapon to push the season in 2025.