The most-hyped QB battle in the country is getting tenser in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Kalen DeBoer is all about it.
The Crimson Tide head football coach doesn't mind the competitive nature in the team's QB room, even if it means they respectfully "step on each other's toes" when it comes to proving themselves better leaders.
"I think they all respect each other," DeBoer expressed during the SEC's spring meeting. "They are all going as hard as they can. They are going to step on each other's toes at times in terms of that leadership role and things like that, but so be it."
Simpson is the undeniable favorite among the three to become the Crimson Tide's starter, but DeBoer is in no mood to make that official news just yet.
As of now, the Tide's head coach wants to see how they fare as a unit.
So far, all three have considerably impressed him.
"These guys did a great job, all three of them, of really doing some of those leadership things, and going places, and bringing guys with them. It wasn't like one quarterback took three guys, and another quarterback took these four. They all did it together," DeBoer said.
"No one has a significant amount of playing time reps in a game. But obviously they are at different levels and have shown different things that they can do at a high level already this spring."
Perhaps DeBoer is looking for consistency here. The one who can lead DeBoer's offense consistently should come out on top now that their leadership efforts have been publicly acknowledged.
Being the most experienced in the QB room, it would be easier for Simpson to get an edge in this quality, too.
Yet, it could turn out to be anyone's game from here on.