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Greg McElroy 'very impressed' by Alabama QBs in first preseason scrimmage

1918632_10206777287683070_1367905321192383146_nby: Charlie Potter08/11/25Charlie_Potter
Greg McElroy with Alabama QBs
Ty Simpson, Austin Mack, Keelon Russell and Greg McElroy (Courtesy of Alabama Athletics)

Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy was one of several former Crimson Tide players who attended this past Saturday’s first preseason scrimmage. Speaking on his morning radio show with Cole Cubelic, McElroy liked what he saw from Alabama’s quarterbacks.

“Very impressed with what I saw from the quarterback position as a whole, but not really one thing that surprised me with that group,” McElroy said, via McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning. “I think it’s pretty clear what the pecking order is right now. Doesn’t mean it can’t change.

“But I think you should feel good, whoever plays quarterback for the Tide this year, I think they’re going to be in good hands. I really believe that to be the case.”

The Tide’s first scrimmage was closed to the public and stats were not released by the school. But observers spoke highly of Ty Simpson’s performance, as he inches closer to being named Alabama’s starter for the upcoming season. McElroy echoed the weekend intel.

“I think Ty was really decisive,” McElroy said. “I thought he looked really, really comfortable. I thought he made the play of the day toward the end, where he scrambled around, showed some mobility, kept his eyes downfield, hit Jam (Miller) for a touchdown in the end zone. He looks very in control. 

“Now, were there a couple throws that he would have maybe would have liked to have back? Sure. But guess what? It’s Practice 9. You’re going to miss a couple. It just is what it is. That’s a good defense, too. There were probably a couple things he could have cleaned up, but man, I was really impressed by what I saw from him.”

Simpson, a redshirt junior, is the most experienced quarterback on Alabama’s 2025 roster, and he is competing with Austin Mack and Keelon Russell for the starting job behind center. But the other two signal-callers aren’t making it easy. Both Mack and Russell looked “great.”

“I thought Austin had a really nice day, as running mostly with the twos, but really, really solid day,” McElroy said. “I think Keelon, from an arm-talent standpoint, the ball jumps out of his hand man. Really throws a nice ball. He’s got a lot of velocity on it, though.”

McElroy noted that Russell, a 5-star true freshman, throws a “hard ball.”

“But at this point, the operation, cleaning up the operation, making sure everybody is lined up, making sure everything’s where it needs to be, that’s still a work in progress,” McElroy said of Russell. “As it should be, for a true freshman.”

Alabama will resume preseason camp on Tuesday, August 12. The Crimson Tide will open the 2025 college football season at Florida State on Saturday, August 30 (2:30 p.m. on ABC).

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