Alabama Subs in Ty Simpson at Quarterback as Team Struggles to Score at USF

The Crimson Tide have deployed three different signal-callers this season.

Alabama's glut of talented quarterbacks under coach Nick Saban—Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, Bryce Young—has rarely seemed further in the rearview mirror.

The Crimson Tide made their second quarterback change of the season in the second quarter of their game against South Florida Saturday afternoon, inserting redshirt freshman Ty Simpson after Tyler Buchner struggled against the Bulls.

Buchner, a redshirt sophomore and Notre Dame's primary starter under Brian Kelly in 2021, exited having completed five of his 14 pass attempts for 34 yards in poor Tampa weather. That followed a 3-for-5 performance with a rushing touchdown in mop-up duty when Alabama beat Middle Tennessee 56–7 on Sept. 2.

Ty Simpson replaces Tyler Buchner at QB for Alabama, trailing USF 3-0 late in 1st half

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 16, 2023

The No. 10 Crimson Tide’s first two games of the season were started by redshirt sophomore Jalen Milroe, who threw a pair of interceptions in Alabama’s 34–24 loss to Texas on Sept. 9.

To the shock of college football, the Crimson Tide entered halftime tied with South Florida 3–3.