'A Beautiful Opportunity': Keon Sabb Studying Alabama QB Contenders in Camp

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— One of the people with a front-row seat to Alabama's ongoing quarterback competition is returning safety Keon Sabb, adding an extra wrinkle to his comeback from a lower-body injury that ended his 2024 season prematurely.

"It's a beautiful opportunity," Sabb said Saturday. "When you have one starting quarterback, you kinda get used to what looks he's giving out and different things like that. With three different guys, it allows me to go in depth and study, being able to study each quarterback individually."

Ty Simpson has been the favorite to lead the Crimson Tide out of the tunnel in Tallahassee on August 30 as the starter. That doesn't mean he has sealed the deal. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who declared that Simpson would start in April if the season began then, said Thursday that the coaching staff is looking for consistency throughout the remainder of fall camp.

"He's got to do it every day, between now and Florida State," Grubb said. "Whoever that person is, they have to come out and show that it's clear to him. That's what this football team needs and all three of those guys know that."

The other two contenders, Austin Mack and true freshman Keelon Russell, are different players from Simpson. Mack's arm has earned him praise from Grubb. Russell's perception has landed the young signal caller in the same category.

Part of this summer's experience for Sabb is the enjoyment of being back on the field. With that comes the hunger he's had all offseason to get live reps after missing a key portion of last year. When facing him in practice, the quarterbacks have to account for getting that version of the veteran defensive back.

"It's felt good, just being out there with the team, haven't been out there with the guys in a long time," Sabb, who had 24 solo tackles last season, said. "It's really just been all smiles and really grateful to be out there with my teammates... It was a little tough [sitting out]."

There is an element of similarity in that Simpson and Mack were with the 2024 team alongside Sabb. That situation was vastly different, with Jalen Milroe entrenched as the starter following a successful 2023 where he had improved significantly over the course of the campaign. There was no jockeying for the quarterback position like there is this summer.

"With the different guys back there, it gives us a different challenge, and I think it's a really good challenge for us," Sabb said.