It's Year 2 of life after Nick Saban at Alabama, but a host of the legendary coach's recruits remain on the Crimson Tide's roster. Chief among them is their new QB1, Ty Simpson.
Second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer named Simpson as Alabama's starter on Aug. 11, and the redshirt junior is now charged with the task of succeeding Jalen Milroe, who posted a 20-6 record as a starter in 2023 and 2024 before moving on to the NFL following last season.
Simpson is familiar with the spotlight as he grew up around the game as a coach's son. Helping matters is that Simpson has been a part of the Crimson Tide football program since the 2022 season, when he was a member of a QB room that featured both Milroe and Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young.
After patiently waiting, the 2025 season is Simpson's time to shine. As Alabama looks to make a run to the College Football Playoff, get to know the signal-caller tasked with the challenge.
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Who is Ty Simpson?
Simpson is a redshirt junior quarterback at Alabama.
A native of Martin, Tenn., Simpson was the fourth-ranked quarterback in the high school class of 2022, per 247Sports. He committed to the Crimson Tide in February 2021, choosing Alabama over offers from Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, and Oklahoma, among other top programs.
Simpson redshirted in 2022, appearing in four games — the maximum allowed without losing a year of eligibility. He played in six games in both 2023 and 2024, most recently completing 14 of 25 passes for 167 yards in 2024.
Although he did not throw a touchdown pass in his first 16 career appearances, Simpson rushed for 130 yards and three scores before becoming a starter. His most memorable run came in Week 12 of the 2023 season, when video of his 78-yard scramble went viral because he dropped the ball at the 1-yard line.
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Ty Simpson family
Ty's father, Jason, is the longtime head coach at the University of Tennessee at Martin.
Jason played football at Mississippi State before transferring to Southern Mississippi and playing for the Golden Eagles' baseball team. He began his coaching career in 1995 and took over as UT Martin's head coach ahead of the 2006 college football season.
Ty's younger brother, Graham, is a QB in the high school class of 2028. He's already picked up a scholarship offer from DeBoer.
BLESSED To receive an offer to The University of ALABAMA 🐘🐘🔴🔴#rolltide #BAMA @ty_simpson06 @Coach_JSimpson @FBCoachSheridan @TNSelect7V7 pic.twitter.com/9vtT4B4fdr
— Graham Simpson (@G_Simpson11) June 27, 2025
Ty’s younger sister, Emma, played on two state championship basketball teams at Westview High School in Martin, Tennessee.
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Ty Simpson stats
| Season | Class | Games | Comp/Att | Yards | Pass TDs | Int | Rush TDs |
| 2022 | FR | 4 | 4/5 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | R-FR | 6 | 11/20 | 179 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2024 | R-SO | 6 | 14/25 | 167 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Career | 16 | 29/50 | 381 | 0 | 0 | 3 |