Austin Mack is at the center. But not for the reason you’d like. With the echoes of the Nick Saban era still reverberating through Tuscaloosa, Alabama finds itself at a crossroads. The trio of Ty Simpson, Keelon Russell, and Mack continues to churn Kalen DeBoer‘s QB dilemma. But even as the second-year HC keeps his cards close to his vest, the tide of opinions is beginning to form, including one from Alabama OC Ryan Grubb, who’s no stranger to QB dilemmas.

The quarterback situation at Alabama is not simple and demands a good strategy before any decision. Among the three, Simpson is the most experienced. He appears to have the inside track. But both his competitors are raw talent and potential. No. 2 QB Russell has his own case too as the reigning Gatorade National Player of the Year who’s also Alabama’s highest-rated recruit ever. So that leaves Austin Mack potentially at QB3. But wait, more could be developing regarding his fate.

Ryan Grubb joined Alabama Crimson Tide on April 4 to discuss how he’s assessing the offensive areas of focus during spring practice. He made one thing clear — this is a battle that must be handled with precision. “The obvious statement is you got to get the quarterback figured out,” he said. “And luckily for us, Coach Sheridan and I have talked about this quite a bit already. We’ve been in this position.” Then he drew a direct comparison to 2022 when he and co-offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan were both at Washington.

At Washington, there was a three-way quarterback battle between Dylan Morris, Michael Penix Jr., and Sam Huard. Morris has already been with the program since 2019, while Huard was an inexperienced QB before Penix Jr. transferred from Indiana in 2022. “It was truly a three-way competition, and you have to be very strategic about how you have those battles sort out,” he recalled. “Not just to try to check boxes and be politically correct but for the development of the room.” 

Grubb emphasized that the key to any QB battle is making sure every contender gets a fair shot while also allowing the team to form trust in the decision-making process. “At the end of the first spring, we didn’t name Mike the starter,” he recounted. “We waited, and Dylan Morris had a really good spring, and it was a legitimate battle, and we carried that into the summer. And I thought that that part was a really key part of the team forming.” That same approach is now unfolding in Alabama. He and Kalen DeBoer are evaluating each contender to ensure that whoever gets the job does so with merit. But not everyone is convinced that the competition is as open as it seems. 

Top Comment by Cwyte

Ty has more experience he should be the better quarterback he was a consensus five star out of high school.

Share your take

Debate

Austin Mack gets left behind despite Ryan Grubb’s endorsement

“I’ve always believed in Austin, he’s got a big upside,” Ryan Grubb said of the 6’6, 226-pounder who’s slipping out of Alabama’s QB conversation. He followed the OC and Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Tuscaloosa, showing his immense loyalty. But, per Stephen M. Smith on The Bama Standard Network, the choice is already made:

“Ty is the man… The battle for real, it is Key Rus and Austin Mack,” opined Smith. But former NFL player Gerald V Dixon took it a step further. “Austin Mack is not going to challenge Keelon Russell for any jobs at Alabama at the quarterback position,” he said. “I think that Austin Mack probably at the end of spring be in a spring portal.”

Still, the idea of Austin Mack leaving is a shocking one. With four years of eligibility remaining, he has the potential to develop into a starting quarterback down the line. He’s proven his talent before. With 3,498 yards and 40 TDs, he led Folsom HS to a 12-win season and a CIF Sacramento Division 1 championship in 2022. The arrival of Ryan Grubb might be the boost he needs. 

With so many moving pieces, Alabama’s QB dilemma is far from over. But one thing is certain: The next 149 days will define the future of the Crimson Tide.