Kalen DeBoer on Alabama's quarterback room: 'We have four very talented'

Jalen Milroe steals the headline as the Alabama starting quarterback. Beating Auburn on a miracle 4th & 31 before beating Georgia in the SEC Championship game will do that for you.

But he is not the only talented player in the quarterback room. Kalen DeBoer likes all four guys Alabama will have on the depth chart this fall. A completely new offense is coming to Tuscaloosa and despite coaching changes, the quartet are all putting their faith in DeBoer.

“We have four, very talented,” DeBoer said. “I know you always go to who the starter is but there is some great talent. I can’t express the appreciation they have for believing in our process and believing in what we’re doing.”

Three of the quarterbacks were on last year’s roster. Milroe won the battle from last season, one that Nick Saban and Tommy Rees carried into the regular season. Benched for the USF game, Milroe took over again against Ole Miss and never looked back.

Ty Simpson was on the losing end but announced his decision to stay with Alabama this offseason, while Dylan Lonergan is entering his second year with the program. Both should have the opportunity to compete to replace Milroe in 2025.

And then there is Austin Mack, who transferred from Washington. He had just wrapped up his true freshman season with the Huskies but did not want to play for anyone other than DeBoer. Mack was the first commitment Alabama received with DeBoer as the head coach.

Spring practice was important for all four, going through different stages of the development track. Plus, in the case of Mack, he was getting used to a new environment.

DeBoer is happy with where they all stand, even if the finished product is not showing quite yet.

“From the beginning of the spring, every single one of those guys improved,” DeBoer said. “They’re more comfortable in the offense. Improving doesn’t mean they’re perfect. There’s a throw here and a throw there that they read… They’re all in and they’re diving into the playbook. They believe that they’re going to get in this program.”

When somebody like DeBoer is running the program, you almost expect the quarterback room to always be a strength. However, transition periods are different. DeBoer could have been left with a bare cupboard and had to search for somebody in the offseason.

Instead, he is confident in where all four scholarship guys stand heading into the 2023 season.