Greg McElroy labels Ty Simpson as 'the guy to beat' for Alabama quarterback competition

Sixteen years ago, Greg McElroy was in Ty Simpson‘s shoes as an experienced backup trying to establish himself as Alabama’s starting quarterback after two seasons on the bench. It’s also why the ESPN analyst and Birmingham-based radio host has full confidence the Crimson Tide’s redshirt junior signal-caller has what it takes to be the man in Tuscaloosa next season.

On Thursday’s episode of the Andy & Ari On3 podcast with Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman, McElroy discussed Alabama’s wide-open quarterback competition this Spring ahead of Year 2 of the Kalen DeBoer era in Tuscaloosa. That included a detailed breakdown of why the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Simpson is currently in the driver’s seat to replace NFL-bound Jalen Milroe as the Tide’s QB1.

“I am still of the belief that Ty Simpson is the guy to beat. Now, will he beat (the others out)? Will other guys elevate and beat (Simpson out)? Perhaps,” McElroy told Staples and Wasserman on Thursday. “Ty Simpson, I think if you would’ve asked me two years ago, I would’ve said he was the guy to beat because that was coming from the staff. This guy, as a redshirt freshman, the staff all believed his skill set would’ve potentially put them in position to, if he played his best, be at their best offensively.

“(But) he didn’t play his best, didn’t have a great Spring. Summer was OK. Fall was OK, and then it got good late, but at that point, Jalen Milroe had already taken control of the quarterback competition. (But) that was two years ago.”

Simpson is getting another chance to assert himself as Alabama’s starting QB this spring. He’s competing with redshirt sophomore Austin Mack, a former Washington transfer, and Five-Star Plus+ true freshman Keelon Russell, the heavily-coveted No. 2 overall player in the 2025 recruiting cycle according to On3’s Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Of course, McElroy knows Simpson won’t be handed anything and will have to earn it. That said, the former Tide quarterback doesn’t expect the Alabama coaching staff to make any definitive QB1 decision before preseason practice in the Fall.

“It’s still so early, and I think this staff is a little less likely to show their hand because there’s only three quarterbacks on scholarship,” McElroy said. “I think in the event that you accelerate this competition too far down the line you run the risk of losing one. Now you have two quarterbacks under scholarship and have to go into the portal and find someone, and you’re probably not going to want anybody in May. I think they’re having to be very diligent with how they’re spreading reps, how they’re creating competition among all three guys, keeping all three involved.”

Simpson landed in Tuscaloosa as a highly-touted five-star commit and the No. 2-ranked quarterback in the 2022 recruiting cycle behind only Clemson‘s Cade Klubnik, according to On3’s Industry Ranking. In two seasons as Alabama’s backup QB, Simpson has combined for 346 yards on 25-of-45 passing and three rushing touchdowns playing behind Milroe.

And while Simpson certainly has the sort of elite pedigree of his Tide QB1 predecessors, McElroy isn’t ready to proclaim him Alabama’s starter just yet, even if all indications lean that way.

“So, we’ll see where it goes. That’s not to say that Keelon or Austin can’t close that gap, they’re younger, they have really high ceilings,” McElroy concluded. “I think the staff knows that in time, that’s going to be a fascinating competition to watch, whether it’s for the backup job this year or potentially for the starting job assuming a big jump from both those guys. Or the starting job next year in the event Ty is around for one or two (seasons) however it all shakes out.

“But I think it’s going to be really interesting. I’ll still be surprised if wasn’t Ty at the beginning of the year for the Tide.”