Kalen DeBoer expected QB Ty Simpson to be voted to Alabama's leadership council

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Earlier this week, it was revealed that Alabama football players voted five teammates to the team’s leadership council for the spring. Those players included offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor, linebacker Qua Russaw, defensive linemen LT Overton and Tim Keenan, and quarterback Ty Simpson.
It’s a notable honor for Simpson specifically, who is in the middle of a competition for the starting quarterback job alongside Austin Mack and true freshman Keelon Russell. Simpson served as the primary backup under previous starter Jalen Milroe for the past two seasons, and is the most experienced singla-caller on the roster, entering his fourth year with the program.
Speaking with the media following Alabama’s second scrimmage of spring camp on Friday, head coach Kalen DeBoer said it wasn’t at all surprising to him that Simpson received that vote from his teammates.
“That leadership group was voted on in January, so obviously before spring even started. I would expect Ty to be in on that. He’s been here, put in a lot,” DeBoer said. “I would have voted for Ty to be on that in January as well. He does a great job really of taking advantage of knowing the guys on the team, helping them, has to take care of his business and he does.
“We ask guys to be leaders and then when you can take care of your business and bring someone with you and he does a great job of that.”
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DeBoer also noted the ways Mack and Russell have been able to step up as leaders throughout the spring.
“The other quarterbacks continue to do it different days,” DeBoer said. “Keelon does it with his presence; he’s not probably going to be as vocal yet; hasn’t been around long enough. Austin, kind of been there as well, because of the confidence and things he’s done, especially the middle half of last fall where he started showing the effort and energy that he can bring a team. I think he gained a lot of confidence being a leader as well.”
DeBoer has yet to name a starting quarterback, and likely won’t this spring, but gave an update regarding how the quarterbacks played in Friday’s scrimmage and the reps that were distributed to each player.
Alabama has just four practices remaining of spring camp, concluding on Saturday, April 12 with A-Day, which will be open to the public and free to attend at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
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