Alabama needs to secure a replacement for Jalen Milroe heading into the 2025 football season. Butch Dill-Imagn Images

Anonymous SEC football coach reveals Alabama's biggest concern in 2025

Originally posted on CFB-HQ on SI | By James Parks | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 11:37 AM ET

One year into replacing college football’s most accomplished head coach, Kalen DeBoer led Alabama to a 9-4 record, missed out on the playoff, and lost to a subpar Michigan team in the bowl game.

Now he faces one major hurdle as he looks to rebound from that debut, according to an anonymous SEC football coach.

“The biggest question will be quarterback, obviously,” an SEC coach said to Athlon Sports.

“But they have a really solid offensive line, and the roster doesn’t have any obvious holes to fill. They’re going to compete for a playoff spot, for sure.”

They better, if DeBoer wants to avoid kicking off some early speculation about his job security, but how he and new co-offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb address the Jalen Milroe-sized hole in their offense will be critical.

Milroe’s departure leaves Alabama with a dilemma as to who will lead its offense, although former five-star prospect Ty Simpson emerged as the heir apparent this offseason, earning some high praise from Grubb, in particular.

Simpson would be the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback if they played a game today, Grubb revealed after spring football was complete.

Although he added: “It wasn’t perfect this spring, but I thought we were trending the right way the entire time.”

Simpson was a near-consensus five-star prospect in 2022, considered the No. 2 quarterback and No. 25 overall player, according to an average of the four national recruiting services.

The quarterback was also named the No. 2 player from the state of Tennessee.

But Simpson isn’t the only option Alabama has to look at. Austin Mack, a transfer from DeBoer’s program at Washington, and incoming five-star freshman Keelon Russell are also pushing for QB1 consideration.

Russell was the No. 2 overall prospect, second-ranked quarterback, and top player from the state of Texas, per an average of the national recruiting rankings.

For the moment, it seems Simpson has the seniority to occupy the top of Alabama’s leaderboard, but whoever takes the reins will be under enormous pressure.

Going 9-4 isn’t going to be tolerated at Alabama for very long.

“The expectations define this place,” another SEC coach said.

“I think you’ll see a competitive program that could end up in Atlanta and make the playoff, but this is a new era. Bama’s not a surefire lock every season.”

(Athlon)