Pressure Mounts for Ty Simpson in Year 2 of the Kalen DeBoer Era at Alabama
Alabama missing the College Football Playoff last season would have been headline-worthy in any era. But in the debut year of Kalen DeBoer’s tenure—and with the playoff field expanded to 12 teams—it was more than a disappointment. It was a wake-up call. As the Crimson Tide gear up for 2025, expectations have escalated dramatically, especially for presumed starting quarterback Ty Simpson.
Simpson, a redshirt junior and former five-star recruit, enters fall camp as the frontrunner in a three-way quarterback competition that includes sophomore Austin Mack and true freshman phenom Keelon Russell, another five-star talent. Simpson has the edge in experience, but with just 50 career pass attempts since arriving in Tuscaloosa in 2022, he remains largely untested.
The pressure on Simpson is enormous. Fans expect him to look and lead like a seasoned veteran from the very first snap. That’s no small ask—especially at Alabama, where anything less than a championship is often deemed a failure.
AJ McCarron Urges Patience
Enter former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, who knows a thing or two about guiding the Crimson Tide under the brightest lights. Rather than adding to the mounting expectations around Simpson, McCarron has offered a more measured message: be patient.
McCarron sees some familiar elements in Simpson’s situation. While Simpson had to wait longer for his turn than McCarron did, both quarterbacks entered their first season as starters with minimal experience and outsized expectations. And both had the responsibility of living up to Alabama’s storied championship legacy.
Looking back at McCarron’s breakout year in 2011 offers a helpful point of comparison. Though he ultimately led Alabama to a national title, McCarron did so with the support of an elite roster and a coaching staff that didn’t ask him to carry the team single-handedly. McCarron’s role, at least early on, was more about composure and smart decision-making than gaudy stats.
That 2011 team was stacked—NFL-bound talent on both sides of the ball and All-Americans seemingly at every position. McCarron himself was rarely forced to throw the ball 30+ times per game. In fact, he only reached that mark once before the 2012 BCS National Championship Game: a 31-pass outing against Penn State, where he finished with a clean and efficient 19 completions for 163 yards and a 27-11 win.
By most standards, that made him a “game manager”—a label that’s often unfairly viewed as a slight. In reality, it’s a role that can win titles, especially in Tuscaloosa. McCarron managed games because he didn’t need to play hero ball—and that formula worked.
Simpson Might Need to Follow the Same Script
Ty Simpson may not have the luxury of a dominant defense and elite backfield that McCarron enjoyed. This year’s Alabama squad, while talented, doesn’t carry the same top-heavy roster loaded with All-Americans and future pros. For instance, projected starting running back Jam Miller is a capable player, but he’s no Trent Richardson, who was arguably the best back in college football during McCarron’s early tenure.
Still, McCarron’s message is clear: Simpson doesn’t need to be Superman—he just needs to be steady.
Under new head coach Kalen DeBoer, Alabama’s offensive philosophy may differ from the methodical, power-run approach that defined the early Saban years. But the core idea remains: limit mistakes, play within the system, and let the talent around you do the work.
This is especially true at the start of the season, as the team adapts to DeBoer’s playbook and builds chemistry. If Simpson can serve as a smart, efficient distributor of the football, there’s no reason he can’t grow into a more dynamic playmaker as the year progresses.
The Clock Is Ticking—Even With CFP Expansion
Of course, the college football landscape has evolved significantly since McCarron’s time. The College Football Playoff has expanded to 12 teams, and that structural change does afford programs a greater margin for error. A single loss—or even two—won’t necessarily derail a team’s postseason hopes.
In theory, that shift should allow for more patience. But theory doesn’t always align with reality—especially not in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama’s fanbase is known for its sky-high expectations. With a challenging schedule ahead, including an early SEC showdown against powerhouse Georgia, there won’t be much time for Simpson to “ease in.” The Tide can’t afford missteps early in the season, especially if they hope to claim a top seed in the new playoff format.
Making things even more complicated is the presence of Keelon Russell, the incoming freshman who already has a reputation as a dynamic talent with a high ceiling. While Simpson holds the edge in experience, he’s competing under a microscope—with Russell waiting in the wings and a rabid fan base ready to call for change if things go sideways.
A Season That Could Define the DeBoer Era
All of this adds up to a pivotal season—not just for Ty Simpson, but for Kalen DeBoer and the direction of Alabama football. After inheriting a program synonymous with dominance under Nick Saban, DeBoer’s Year 1 ended in disappointment. Falling short of the 12-team playoff only magnified the learning curve of a first-year regime.
Now, in Year 2, that learning curve becomes a litmus test. Can DeBoer re-establish Alabama as a perennial title contender? Can Simpson be the quarterback to lead that charge?
The answers will start to come soon. Fall camp will determine who takes the first snap in Week 1, but the real pressure begins once the season kicks off. For now, Simpson remains the favorite—but not without competition, and certainly not without pressure.
Final Thoughts
If Alabama fans are looking for reasons to stay calm, they should heed AJ McCarron’s advice. A slow start doesn’t mean failure, and quarterback development is rarely linear. McCarron, after all, grew from a lightly used backup into a two-time national champion.
Ty Simpson may not have the same supporting cast that McCarron enjoyed, but if Alabama can put him in position to succeed—by running the ball effectively, keeping the offense balanced, and playing disciplined football—he doesn’t need to be spectacular to be successful.
In an era where everyone demands instant results, McCarron’s call for patience is both timely and wise. Whether Alabama fans will actually embrace that patience is another question entirely.
Leave a Reply