It might seem like an awkward handoff when Ryan Grubb returned to Tuscaloosa after a stint in Seattle and grabbed the play-calling reins from Nick Sheridan. The guy who just started stirring Alabama’s offense last season. Such changes usually follow struggles, and Alabama’s 9-4 season, including losses to Oklahoma and Michigan, made the offensive shortcomings too obvious to ignore. But there’s a reason Sheridan’s still in the building as co-offensive coordinator. And the CBS Sports analyst didn’t hesitate for a second to label Sheridan a true asset to the team.

Despite the coaching shuffle, Sheridan’s offense didn’t miss a beat in 2024. Alabama averaged 33.8 points per game, ranking third in the SEC and nationally within the top 25. A dominant rushing attack, with 41 touchdowns (leading the SEC and fifth nationally), fueled their success. This wasn’t luck; Sheridan’s system expertly leveraged his players’ strengths, yielding impressive results, even if the final record left some fans wanting more. And that’s exactly what Josh Pate is trying to highlight on the Crain and Company podcast.

“There’s a reason he’s still on that coaching staff, yeah, and everybody in that building, when you go down there privately, will echo your sentiment. They don’t say it publicly because it’s viewed as excuse-making, but people who know football kind of know the deal of what happened there last year and how handcuffed anybody calling plays at Alabama would have been. Sheridan is really good at his job, and I think he’s still a plus-like member of their staff now.” Alabama’s aerial attack didn’t just gain yards—they dominated the field. With an average of 13.6 yards per completion, the Tide ranked fifth in the SEC and 18th nationally. The team’s quarterbacks posted a 146.39 efficiency rating, ranking among the league’s top five.

Ryan Grubb isn’t inheriting a disaster; he’s taking over a strong offense that just needs a bit of fine-tuning. He may use Nick Sheridan’s playbook, but Grubb’s strong leadership could unlock even greater potential from the team. “You know that sometimes it’s not merely the guy calling the play; it’s which guy is calling the play. Ryan Grubb, in other words, could come in and call the same plays that Nick Sheridan did, but because of the impact of his personality and his persona, he’s an absolute type,” Pate said.

Now, what might work in Ryan Grubb’s favor is the style of Alabama’s likely new starting quarterback, Ty Simpson. “When you have Ty Simpson at quarterback, the best way I can put that is I think you should expect him to play within the system more than Jalen Milroe did, and I think what may surprise people is I’ve had folks on the defensive side at Alabama tell me, you know, he’s low-key a little bit harder to defend in scramble mode than Milroe was. Milroe is a way better runner; Milroe is an incredible, like, freak athlete, but a lot of times when you would see Jalen Milroe run the ball, it wasn’t within the construct of the play itself,” Josh Pate said.

We all know that Jalen Milroe is a dual-threat QB who’s far from a polished product, and his decision-making under pressure and accuracy were matters of concern last season. And those costly 11 interceptions are proof of it. Let’s not forget his performance against Oklahoma, where he completed only 11 of 26 passes for 164 yards, among which 3 were intercepted, and the defense managed to shut him down as a runner.

But that might not happen with Ty Simpson, and Ryan Grubb’s trust in him proves that perfectly.

Ryan Grubb’s clear verdict on the QB1 situation

Following Alabama’s A-Day scrimmage in mid-April, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb confidently declared Ty Simpson the starting quarterback. This decisive announcement, implying Simpson would start a game the following day, strongly indicated the offense’s direction. Fast forward to June, and Grubb remains firmly committed to his evaluation, signaling consistency in his leadership and clarity for the players.

While acknowledging potential shifts, Grubb’s unwavering support for Simpson highlights the quarterback’s sustained advantage. “He is right now, and we don’t really deal in absolutes,” Grubb said. “But I was trying to answer that as honestly as I could. I knew that people are looking for direction, and so are the guys in the room, and so those are not surprising things.” This implies, though the competition isn’t concluded, a clear frontrunner has emerged.

Simpson’s advantage comes not only from experience but also from clear improvement and performance in spring training. And Ryan Grubb clarified why Simpson surpasses Keelon Russell and Austin Mack. “Our post-spring evaluation is down with the guys, and Ty could carry the football better,” he said. “He operates it better; he improved for an older quarterback, and I know young players have playing and starting experience, but as an older guy, especially towards the later part of the spring, he really started to show more of those characteristics.” Simpson’s growth reflects his grasp of the new offensive system.

On top of that, his spring game performance further solidified this: 14 of 25 passes for 167 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions showcased Simpson’s composure and decision-making. However, the competition remains open. As Grubb stated, “We’re still going to let him compete. Still on right now, and we will again in fall camp.” With fall camp approaching and Florida State’s opener looming, Grubb and offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan face an immediate challenge.

Now, their established collaboration with Kalen DeBoer could be the key to restoring Alabama’s offensive prowess.