June 20, 2025 — Tuscaloosa, AL — As the Alabama Crimson Tide gear up for their second season under head coach Kalen DeBoer, quarterback Ty Simpson is emerging as the early favorite to lead the team—though questions remain about whether he can carry them to national championship glory.
On the Paul Finebaum Show, the SEC Network analyst weighed in on the possibility of Simpson leading the Crimson Tide back to the pinnacle of college football.
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Alabama, still adjusting to life after the retirement of legendary coach Nick Saban in 2023, endured a transitional 2024 season that ended with a 9–4 record—their worst since Saban’s first campaign in 2007. Now, entering a critical second year under DeBoer, the quarterback position remains a focal point of debate.
Finebaum offered measured optimism when asked whether Simpson, a redshirt junior and former five-star recruit, has what it takes.
“I think initially it will be Ty Simpson,” Finebaum said. “Is he capable? Yes. I’ve seen quarterbacks with less talent lead Alabama to a national championship.”
Despite his potential, Simpson has limited experience at the collegiate level, with only 50 career pass attempts for 381 yards. He will face competition from redshirt freshman Austin Mack—who followed DeBoer from Washington—and highly touted five-star true freshman Keelon Russell. All three signal-callers remain largely untested in live action, raising concerns about how they’ll handle high-pressure situations.
Alabama chose not to hold a traditional spring game this year, opting instead for a private practice, leaving fans and analysts alike without a clear look at the quarterback pecking order.
Finebaum emphasized that if Simpson is surrounded by the right pieces and the team avoids self-inflicted mistakes—something Jalen Milroe struggled with last season—then Alabama can indeed return to national title contention.
The Crimson Tide open their 2025 campaign on August 30 with a marquee road matchup against Florida State, a game likely to reveal whether Simpson—or any of his challengers—can handle the immense pressure that comes with leading one of college football’s most storied programs.
For now, Alabama’s championship hopes may rest on the arm of a quarterback still waiting to write his first major chapter.
