Kalen DeBoer gives update on the Alabama QB competition that Crimson Tide fans didn't know they needed

Alabama Crimson Tide fans and the Florida State Seminoles are actually in a more similar position than they might've previously thought. Replacing Jalen Milroe at quarterback means Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer and first-year offensive coordinator Ryan Grubbs have their work cut out for them.

The Alabama quarterback competition is a three-headed race, but DeBoer isn't going to wait until the last second if he can help it. He went so far as to set a date range for when Crimson Tide fans and the Seminoles will know who will be under center first.

“There’s been roughly a similar kind of timeframe throughout fall camp. The last week-and-a-half,” DeBoer said on the Always College Football with ESPN’s Greg McElroy. “We usually have a little bit longer phase of bonus practices leading up to Week 1. There’s a weekend before and a few days before that. That’s kind of when you really for sure like to have the starter named and him to be able to start really being in sync with his receiving corps, gelling that way and really piling on the reps. But if you feel like you’re at that point earlier, maybe a week earlier.”

This timeframe would land around the middle of August, seeing as Florida State takes Alabama on Aug. 30. 

Former backup quarterback Ty Simpson is likely the odds-on favorite to start the 2025 season for the Tide. He previously said he's ready to start, and there was some surprise when he opted against transferring out before this past year. Simpson will be a fourth-year junior in 2025.

This season, he participated in six games, passing for 167 yards with a 14-of-25 completion rate. Additionally, he rushed for 44 yards and scored one touchdown on eight carries in his third year with the Alabama football team.

The former 5-star QB has yet to start, though, and his small sample size hasbeen nothing special. He has some running ability as well, though obviously is not comparable to Milroe.

Austin Mack is another competitor with some college experience, though it's somewhat limited. He transferred from Washington to Alabama ahead of the 2024 season, following DeBoer.

Mack graduated from high school a year early and spent the 2023 season with the Huskies. As a result, despite being in his third year of college, he has only been out of high school for two years.

He didn’t get to play for Washington in 2023 and saw minimal action in 2024, playing behind Milroe and Simpson. This season, Mack completed two out of three passes for 39 yards and had one touchdown against Mercer.

“He’s really come a long way,” DeBoer said of Mack in December. “It’s fun seeing him take advantage of even the scout team reps he took and just his ability to throw the ball where he wants it. And sometimes that’s a great opportunity because if you make a mistake it’s not the end of the world, but you can keep honing in on your skills. So, he did a lot this year to help those guys with the defense and now he’s getting more and more reps. So I’m excited about his future, for sure.”

The elephant in the room right now and will continue to be until he's named the starter is 5-star dual athlete Keelon Russell. Coming off an incredible end of his high school career, Russell is ranked as the No. 2 passer in a deep crop of prospects. We have him No. 3, but it's close as Tavien St. Clair and Bryce Underwood are only slightly ahead.

The raw physical ability is certainly there for Russell, and he seems more mentally prepared to play at a high level than most recruits are.

“He’s got the arm talent, is accurate, can throw different arm slots,” DeBoer said in December. “Then also the ability as an athlete to make plays with his feet too.”

But is it reasonable for the 6-foot-3, 175-pounder to catch up on Simpson's experience and time in DeBoer's offense? Is it even wise to push a true freshman into the role when the Tide lack a deep array of high-end playmaking and a run game?

I'd argue that wouldn't be the best case for his development, or for DeBoer to rehab his image with the fan base.