Nick Saban calls Ty Simpson gaffe running into end zone 'a learning experience'

Nick Saban is always looking for teaching moments, even in lopsided games against overmatched opponents. Unfortunately for Alabama, backup quarterback Ty Simpson provided him with a perfect one in the fourth quarter Saturday against Chattanooga.

Simpson got free on the run and had a convoy to the end zone after high-stepping it down the left sideline. One problem: Simpson decided to celebrate his run too early.

Instead of a 79-yard touchdown run, Simpson’s run stopped short at 78 yards when he dropped the football before he crossed the plane of the end zone.

The score came off the board upon review, with the ball spotted at the 1-yard line. Alabama still scored one play later, but not before coach Nick Saban spent some time glaring at his quarterback on the sideline.

Saban addressed the gaffe after the game.

“I mean do I have to comment on that?” Saban said. “Every coach says cross the goal line and hand the ball to the official. But again, that’s a learning experience for everybody too.”

He wasn’t the only one that had a teaching moment in the game.

“Caleb Downs wasn’t carrying the ball right on his touchdown, he’s carrying it in one hand, swinging it around,” Saban pointed out. “So that’s going to be a learning experience for him.”

Simpson, of course, is the team’s backup quarterback. He went into action after Alabama built a sizeable lead in the contest with starter Jalen Milroe at the helm. Saban said he was thrilled to be able to get him more experience.

“I thought Ty played well today, and the opportunity that he’s had the last two weeks to play has certainly probably improved his confidence,” Saban said. “It’s good that he gets some experience so if he needs to play he’s going to be able to go in there and execute.”

As the starter, Milroe was terrific, going 13-of-16 passing for 197 yards and three touchdowns.

Saban praised the team’s overall execution in the early going.

“We’ve executed really well,” coach Nick Saban told the ESPN+ broadcast crew at halftime. “I think we had to punt one time and had to kick a field goal. But overall the offense has done a really good job, made some explosive plays and started to control the line of scrimmage a little bit better in the run game in the second quarter.”

The only real negative from the game for Alabama was the loss of edge defender Chris Braswell, who was ejected for targeting in the first quarter.

Braswell got a clean run at quarterback Luke Schomburg on a second-and-6 play in the first quarter. Unimpeded, he destroyed Stromberg, getting his helmet just under the chin.

Officials reviewed the hit and the call of targeting on the field stood. Braswell was ejected, but because the ejection was in the first half he will only miss the Chattanooga game and will not be impacted for the Auburn game next week.