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Sep 7, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) warms up before a game against the South Florida Bulls at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

Why Ty Simpson Never Transferred Out of Alabama

Originally posted on Alabama Crimson Tide on SI
By Hunter De | Last updated Jun 27, 2025 5:47 PM ET

The transfer portal and NIL are indisputably the hottest topics in college sports today. It's resulted in literally tens of thousands of athletes over the past couple of years changing schools in order to gain more money and also move up on the depth chart.

For example, the 2022 college football recruiting class has seen tons of former five-stars switch programs due to these factors, including current Alabama cornerback Domani Jackson and defensive lineman LT Overton, who transferred from USC and Texas A&M before last season.

But 2022 five-star and current Alabama redshirt junior quarterback Ty Simpson has been with the Crimson Tide since his commitment. Simpson had to sit behind Jalen Milroe for two years, but now that he's off to the NFL after being selected by the Seattle Seahawks three weeks ago, Simpson is expected to be Alabama's starter for the upcoming season.

Simpson's patience to wait his turn is something that we don't see in today's college football or really all NCAA sports due to the transfer portal and NIL. So, why didn't Simpson ever transfer out of Alabama for a sooner opportunity to be a starting quarterback?

"Yeah, you know, I'm not going to sit here and say it wasn't hard, because there were some days where I felt like I wasn't on my side, and I didn't really understand His plan," Simpson said at the Manning Passing Academy on Friday. "But I prayed about it. And, at the end of the day, there wasn't anywhere else where I wanted to play. I felt that God had put me in Tuscaloosa for a reason.

"I always felt like that I could accomplish everything that I could still to this day with winning a national championship and being a first-round pick there at the University of Alabama. I couldn't leave my friends, my teammates. Some of my best friends who are going to be in my wedding one day are my teammates here at the University of Alabama, and seeing them on a different sideline just didn't feel right to me.

"And so, you know, with coach [Nick] Saban's guidance, and the guys who are on the team and go to school there, there was nowhere else where I would rather be the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa."

Simpson played for Saban in his final two years as Alabama's coach before retiring in January 2024. He was a reserve behind Bryce Young during his freshman year, but after the former Heisman Trophy winner was selected No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Crimson Tide was faced with a dilemma––who fills his role?

Simpson and Milroe were in a quarterback battle throughout the spring of 2023, but the job ended up the future Seahawk's hands. And as previously stated, after a very solid 2023-24, Milroe was the starter once again this past season as Simpson sat behind him.

Fast forward to 2025, Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said on April 14 that “at the end of the day, if we’re playing a football game tomorrow, Ty Simpson would start.” Grubb reaffirmed on June 12 that he is still the top option over redshirt sophomore Austin Mack and true freshman Keelon Russell.

This article first appeared on Alabama Crimson Tide on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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