Alabama finally got clarity in a quarterback race that’s been quietly bubbling under the surface all spring—and that clarity came in a way few predicted. With Kalen DeBoer running his first spring as HC in Tuscaloosa, and Ryan Grubb installing his offensive blueprint, the Crimson Tide emerged from the fog of three QBs with a frontrunner. Ty Simpson, Austin Mack, and freshman Keelon Russell were all in the mix, but one name pulled ahead. And DeBoer made something else abundantly clear: there won’t be a two-QB system. Alabama’s going with one guy. But that doesn’t mean the story ends here.

What Kalen DeBoer said about the one who didn’t win the job just yet says a lot about the program’s future. Austin Mack. The redshirt sophomore followed DeBoer and Grubb from Washington to Alabama and was once viewed as the most seamless system fit in the room. While questions swirled about whether Austin Mack might jump into the transfer portal after not being named the leader of the pack, DeBoer delivered a firm and composed message about the young QB’s standing and mindset.

“I’m not gonna speak for Austin, but I do have a really good relationship with him,” DeBoer said on The Next Round Live. “Have been with him now, this will be year three. And he knows he’s got some elite football ahead of him. And he’s really getting the most reps he’s ever had here this spring. Last year he was in the mix, but really you had more of Ty [Simpson] and Jalen [Milroe] and then even Dylan [Lonergan] was taking more reps than he was.”

That right there—“the most reps he’s ever had”—matters. Because reps in spring camp aren’t just about practice throws – they’re about installing trust, rhythm, and tempo within a new system. And even if Mack isn’t taking the first snaps right now, he’s very much in the thick of development.

DeBoer continued: “He sees the growth. He sees the development. We got a lot of great hard workers on the football team, he’s near the top of that list, as far as just the work he puts in. So I’m excited for him. I know there’s a trust that has to exist between coach and player – I think that’s growing and existing with all three of the guys, because they all did start with a different starting point, as far as Austin coming with us, Keelon being recruited by us, and then of course Ty, the experience we had with him last year.”

Kalen DeBoer knows the stakes—he’s not just managing a position battle; he’s managing the $2 million gamble that comes with navigating the post-Nick Saban transition at one of the most scrutinized programs in college football. And by naming Ty Simpson the leader—while emphasizing it’s a single-QB operation—he’s showing he’s not here to waffle. “It’s hard enough when you’ve got two, much less four, splitting that the way you want,” DeBoer said. That’s as honest as it gets in a QB room full of egos and expectations. It also hints that the window is now, not later.

Simpson’s rise isn’t entirely shocking. He’s the most experienced in the Crimson Tide, with game reps under his belt and a familiarity with the SEC grind. But in an offense being completely reshaped by Ryan Grubb, the edge could’ve easily gone to Mack, whose skillset was molded under Grubb’s watch since high school. The fact that it didn’t, for now, might sting. But Mack’s story isn’t headed to the cutting room floor just yet. After all, the redshirt sophomore was the only QB in the room recruited primarily by Grubb. A subtle yet telling fact that suggests the belief in him runs deeper than a spring depth chart.

There’s also a layer of long-game thinking here. Mack threw just one touchdown last season, against Mercer. But he’s entering what could be a true developmental bloom, especially as the only quarterback with full continuity in the new system. Meanwhile, Simpson’s ascension offers DeBoer the chance to stabilize the offense with a steady hand – even if Mack’s ceiling might be flashier in the long run.

The $2M reunion of Kalen DeBoer with Ryan Grubb

It’s not every day a $2 million reunion feels this seamless, but Alabama HC Kalen DeBoer is loving what he’s seeing from Ryan Grubb’s return to his coaching circle. Grubb followed DeBoer from Washington with a hefty price tag. He signed a two-year contract, effective through February 28, 2027, with a salary of $1 million per year. And he’s already making his presence felt in Tuscaloosa this spring.

“I mean obviously Ryan and I got a special history and just relationship,” DeBoer said, reflecting on their long-time connection. “It’s great to have him back, for sure.” But it’s not just about familiarity — Grubb’s integration into the Crimson Tide staff has been smooth as Alabama silk. “He had a relationship with Nick Sheridan, JaMarcus Shephard in particular,” DeBoer noted.

“There’s a whole group of men that sit in that room every single day — long hours — and he’s just really taken it over, as I would’ve expected.” DeBoer emphasized how Grubb’s leadership is lifting everyone, adding, “The rest of the staff is doing their part… to make our offense better, take the next step.”

With the spring transfer portal window now open (through April 25) and the season opener at Florida State looming on August 30, Bama’s band is back together.