Ryan Grubb sends message to Alabama's quarterback room

Alabama‘s quarterback competition for the starting spot is far from over. On Thursday, Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb revealed what he’s looking for in the Crimson Tide’s next QB1.

“Consistency. Take care of the ball. You gotta be a guy that can move us forward,” Grubb said. “I think one of the biggest things that we’re stressing right now is minimizing negative yardage plays.

“Starts with us making sure we got the right mic points on protection or run scheme. So make sure the ball is moving forward and the o-line’s on the same page. And then, you know, making great decisions with the football.”

It’s a three-man race for the starting spot behind center. Ty Simpson is widely considered the current leader in the competition. Simpson is entering his redshirt junior season and has 16 career appearances.

Alas, he’s been limited in those appearances, only amassing 29 total completions for 381 yards without throwing a touchdown or an interception. Austin Mack, who followed head coach Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Alabama ahead of the 2024 season, is also in the hunt for the QB1 title.

Mack only saw action in one game last season and has even less experience than Simpson. Nevertheless, he’s split first-team reps with Simpson this offseason and has elite arm strength.

While Keelon Russell isn’t considered to be as likely to land the starting spot this year, he’s certainly not out of the conversation. Russell was the No. 2 quarterback in the 2025 recruiting cycle, and Alabama could ultimately decide to invest in its future.

Simply put, each of the QBs offer something unique to Ryan Grubb and his offense. The first-year Alabama OC is well aware of this fact.

“Ty is continuing to show a ton of command,” Grubb said. “He did a better job today than the other two guys with that. So he continues to progress as a leader. And Keelon’s ability to see the field and just his vision, his innate ability to make a play even potentially when there’s not one there, is a really, really high level. And then Austin just has elite arm talent, you know. A big guy that’s strong and can power through things.”

Alabama won’t have much longer before it must name a Week 1 starter. On Aug. 30, Alabama will kick off its 2025 campaign with a showdown against Florida State at 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will air live on ABC.