Kalen DeBoer addresses Alabama's quarterback situation, shares Jalen Milroe took first team snaps

Alabama wrapped up its first spring practice of the 2024 offseason. Led into this new era by Kalen DeBoer, some have questioned whether last year’s starter Jalen Milroe will be his guy this fall.

With former five-star recruit Ty Simpson remaining on the roster for 2024, is it time for the younger blue-chipper to take the reins? Or is Milroe set to repeat as the Tide’s QB1? DeBoer wouldn’t answer outright but revealed which player took the first snap during Monday’s practice.

“You want competition, right? The competition is always going to be there and yeah, someone had to take the first reps today with the ones,” DeBoer said on Monday. “We lined up, and we refer to them as (ones). And Jalen (Milroe) did. He’s putting everything into it along with the other guys that took those first reps. But I fully expect those guys that are really hungry to be pushing those guys that are ahead of them to be their best. That’s what you want in a football program.”

Milroe was the final QB1 of the Nick Saban era, and saw him finish the year with 2,718 yards passing, 23 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He was also a significant threat on the ground, finishing the season with 468 rushing yards and a team-high 12 touchdowns on the ground.

With Milroe under center, the Crimson Tide finished 12-2 during the 2023 college football campaign. He led Alabama to an SEC Championship victory over Georgia, which helped push the Crimson Tide into the College Football Playoff where they eventually fell to eventual national champions Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

Meanwhile, Simpson hasn’t been given the same opportunities. In his 10 appearances over two seasons with the Crimson Tide, Simpson has completed 15 of 25 passes for 214 yards in the air while adding 86 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

At the same time, anything can happen over the course of the offseason, which is why DeBoer wasn’t willing to provide a specific answer on who his starting quarterback will be next season. Still, Milroe seems to be off to a great start.

The Kalen DeBoer era in Tuscaloosa will kick off on Saturday, August 31 against Western Kentucky inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. They hit the ground running on Sept. 28, starting their SEC schedule at home against Georgia in a rematch last season’s SEC championship game.