Somewhere between the missed slant routes and mistimed back-shoulders, it became obvious: Alabama’s fall camp wasn’t starting out clean. Not by a mile. But maybe that’s the whole point. Kalen DeBoer didn’t expect perfection. He expected pressure. He expected slip-ups. And while folks on the outside kept begging for a QB1 announcement, the Tide’s coaching staff kept watching the tape—closely.

Now, here’s the real deal—2024 was a nightmare for Bama. No other way to slice it. DeBoer’s first season in Tuscaloosa ended with a disgraceful 9-4. That may fly in Kentucky, but not in Sabanland. The Crimson Tide took L’s to Vanderbilt—Vanderbilt!—Tennessee, Oklahoma, and then got embarrassed by Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The bounce-back turned into a beatdown. And Nick Saban’s era felt like ancient history overnight. With Jalen Milroe gone, the Tide entered 2025 looking shaky, if not totally lost.

This year? It’s supposed to be redemption. Ty Simpson, the vet who waited behind two different QBs, came in with the unofficial nod. And yet not officially etched into that QB1 slot. Why? Because the first few practices were… meh. Kalen DeBoer didn’t sugarcoat what he saw in the first week of Alabama’s fall camp: “I think the biggest thing, practice one was good, two, the installs become more and different things. A lot of it’s still base stuff for the most part that these guys have built on [in] spring, summer. But there’s a couple just missed opportunities, really between receivers, skill guys, and the quarterbacks. I thought the last two practices, those near-misses have now been completions.”

Translation: guys were open, plays were there, and the QBs straight-up missed them. Sometimes it was an overthrown ball, sometimes a busted route, sometimes an O-line hiccup.

In other words, the wheels are finally greased. DeBoer isn’t panicking—and that’s telling. He’s seen this before. The early stumbles, the messy installs, the search for rhythm—it’s all part of his playbook. But DeBoer made it clear—he’s seen progress: “The last two practices, those near-misses have now been completions. That’s what you like to see.”

From what’s being whispered behind closed doors, if the season started tomorrow, Ty Simpson would get the first snap. The former five-star has waited long enough. He sat behind a Heisman winner, then behind Milroe’s chaos. Now he’s up—sorta. Reports say Mack and Russell are creeping, but haven’t fully closed the gap. Still, it’s far from locked in. DeBoer’s poker face? Solid. He’s not tipping his hand before Week 1 versus Florida State. Smart move. Let the Seminoles sweat. Make them prep for all three.

Here’s the rub: none of these QBs have real-deal starting experience. Simpson’s thrown a grand total of 50 passes at Bama. His most notable moment? A decent cameo vs. South Florida—5-of-9, 73 yards, a score, 29 rushing. That’s it. He’s more mystery than maestro right now. And that’s why DeBoer and Grubb are taking their sweet time.

OC Ryan Grubb holds back on Ty Simpson QB1 decision

Nobody was riding harder for Ty Simpson this summer than Ryan Grubb. If camp started in June, Simpson’s face would’ve been on every QB1 poster in Tuscaloosa. But now? That gap’s shrinking faster than a lead in the fourth quarter. Both Mack and Russell are knocking, and Grubb’s not in a hurry to answer the door.

Day two of fall camp, Grubb got hit with the question: when’s the QB decision coming? His answer? “Yesterday, if I’m being honest.” That’s coach-speak for ‘I’d love to know right now, but we’re not there yet.’ And it’s not about indecision—it’s about seeing who can actually hold it together over weeks, not days.

As Alabama beat writer Nick Kelly put it, “It’s because he wants to see it from Ty Simpson every day,” he said of the QB decision delay. “I think Ty’s had a great start to camp. There’s no indication that he hasn’t. But it’s a matter of can you keep doing it? Can you sustain? And that was something that Kalen talked about to the whole team.” That’s the whole deal here. Sure, Simpson’s started hot, but hot streaks fade.

Grubb and DeBoer aren’t picking a one-hit wonder—they want a headliner who can keep the tour going all season. And yeah, the ghosts of 2024 still haunt this place. Remember Jalen Milroe? One week, he’s cooking LSU like a backyard grill. The next, he’s flat in a bowl game loss to Michigan. As DeBoer said back in April, “It’s like any other quarterback—it’s what’s going on around you too.” That’s the cautionary tale. They’re not chasing flash. They’re hunting for a stabilizer.

Grubb’s checklist is simple: “Consistency. Take care of the ball…move us forward.” On day two, he admitted Simpson did that better than the other two. So yeah, the frontrunner’s still ahead. And until someone grabs that job and owns it for more than a practice or two? The position stays up for grabs.