Since Ryan Grubb landed in Tuscaloosa to lead Alabama’s offense, one question has followed him everywhere—who replaces Jalen Milroe? Now, the spotlight is firmly on the Tide’s QB1 battle. Coming out of spring, Grubb and head coach Kalen DeBoer pointed to Ty Simpson as the frontrunner. Yes, the redshirt junior had the edge, they said, and would’ve started if the season kicked off that day. Still, they held back from officially naming him the starter, keeping the door cracked for competition to heat up in fall camp. But now, the media is eager to know when Alabama will finally declare its QB1.

Well, after Alabama’s second day of preseason camp Thursday, Grubb once again found himself fielding questions about the Tide’s quarterback battle featuring Simpson, freshman Keelon Russell, and Austin Mack. And this time, reporters wanted a timeline. So, when they asked him to name a starting QB for Week 1. Grubb didn’t hold back. “Yesterday,” he said with a grin, according to The Next Round’s tweet. So, the message was clear—he’s ready to settle this race as soon as someone truly takes command. But here’s the catch.

Ryan Grubb kept it real when pressed about Alabama’s QB decision. “Yesterday, if I’m being honest,” he said, sparking a few smiles. Still, he stressed patience, stating, “You’ve gotta let it run its course. It’s not there yet, and we’ve been through this before, more than once, and you just gotta let it run its course. We’ve got a pretty detailed plan on how we’ll figure those things out and information that we share with the guys every day, and when it’s the right time, we’ll be ready to pull the trigger.” So the message? He wants a QB1 now, but the Tide’s battle needs time to play out. Why?

Here’s the thing: Ty Simpson has spent the last 2 seasons as Jalen Milroe’s right-hand man, learning the ropes and earning praise for his leadership and command of Bama’s offense. So, experience is on his side, but the job isn’t his yet. Austin Mack brings familiarity with Grubb’s system, while 5-star freshman Russell is pushing hard to make his mark. Right now, the Tide’s QB group is deep, and this competition is ongoing. But Kalen DeBoer has already laid out his ideal timeline for Alabama’s QB decision.

Okay, he wants a starter locked in about 10 days before the August 30 showdown with FSU. And that window, he says, would let the Tide shift gears—from fierce competition in camp to fully locked-in game prep for their season opener. Not just that—the Alabama HC also shared a bold take on Ty Simpson.

Kalen DeBoer’s verdict on Ty Simpson

When asked about his QBs, Kalen DeBoer didn’t hesitate to highlight Ty Simpson’s steady presence. “Ty, you know, we talked about all the quarterbacks, but you know, just the gimmies, the ones that should be 100 percent of making those plays all the time. And I really felt like, you know, he did that. He probably got more opportunities just because of the way the plays developed to have more of those gimmies, and those gimmies add up,” said DeBoer. That’s a quiet but clear signal, Ty is gaining traction as the frontrunner. And why not?

He’s making the smart reads, taking what the defense gives him, and stacking those “gimmie” plays that keep drives alive. As DeBoer explained, “Gimmies are five-yard gains that turn into 15 and 20 and sometimes explosives, and they keep the chains moving.” So, it’s not flashy, but it’s winning football, and it’s exactly what Alabama needs in its next QB1. Following that, Kalen DeBoer pulled back the curtain on his QB room, highlighting the progress made this offseason.

“A lot of it’s the reps they get with the play concepts they have, but the footwork and just the confidence with that,” he explained. And the new concepts introduced in spring are finally clicking, especially for Russell. Given that DeBoer said the freshman is making faster decisions, looking more comfortable, and starting to play naturally without overthinking. So, the competition for starting QB is fierce, and now it’s all about who steps up and makes it count this season.