Alabama Spring Position Update: Quarterback

The closest thing the Crimson Tide has to a quarterback controversy is deciding who will be Bryce Young's primary backup.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Statistically speaking, Bryce Young may have had the best season of any quarterback in Alabama history.

He set program records for yards and touchdown passes, and was the first Crimson Tide quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy.

Yet there is plenty room for improvement.

For example, Young finished seventh in the nation in passer efficiency, which is how the NCAA determines its passing champion. His rating of 167.52 was nowhere near that of his predecessor the year before (203.06) and was actually the lowest of any Alabama starting quarterback since 2017.

Young also took two losses as the starting quarterback, which obviously isn't all on him, plus he was only a sophomore last season. He won't turn 21 until July 25.

One thing that should help him this season, though, is that for the first time during his collegiate career, Young will have the same offensive coordinator for a second year. Bill O'Brien flirted with some NFL and head coaching jobs, but ultimately decided to come back to Tuscaloosa for another season.

“Yeah, that’s huge,' Young said. "The first year, there’s always when people first come together, they have to feel each other out. You have to understand from both of our sides, you know, what we like, what we don’t like, kind of just our philosophies individually. I feel like we’re always on the same page.

“He was super excited for me, and I’m super happy that I get another year with OB and that he’ll be back. I’m excited for the improvement of this offense as a whole.”

Nevertheless, a lot of the players around Young will be new. Five of his top six receivers are no longer on the roster, including the starting running back. There will also be new faces at the two tackle spots, and maybe more.

He's not just the mainstay, it's his offense.

"Bryce has been a really good leader," Nick Saban said Wednesday evening.

As for how all those new elements and players surrounding the quarterback will mesh together is what spring practices are for, to develop and build continuity well before fall camp and the kickoff of the season opener.

“I feel like I just wanted to do a better job of having more control over the offense, making sure in the run game, we’re going to the right people," Young said. "In the pass game, making sure we’re accounted for, clearing up a few reads, having a better post-snap process as far as getting through reads, getting through progressions. And then I feel like a big challenge is making sure that, as a unit throughout the week, we’re all on the same accord, we’re all clear, trying to do a better job of communicating with all my guys and making sure that we’re all on the same page whenever I’m changing something or there’s something that may not be as clear. And then, of course, it’s a lot about trying to build chemistry, timing with guys around me, making sure that we’re all on the same page. And then there’s a lot of stuff internally that I want to improve on just with the regular stuff of accuracy and all that stuff. And then mentally, again, clearing some stuff.

"There’s really a long list for me. I feel like there’s a lot of stuff once I’ve gone back, I’ve looked at the games. I feel like there’s a lot of stuff I think I can do better and can improve on. I’m excited."

As for position battles, there's only one at quarterback, Young's backup. Redshirt freshman Jalen Milroe and early enrollee Ty Simpson will start vying to be the next man up, even if that may not happen until next year.

2022 Crimson Tide Quarterbacks

Alabama Athletics

Bryce Young, 2020, [SIAA No. 2]*

Ty Simpson, 2022 [No. 24]

Jalen Milroe, 2021 [No. 81]

Bryce Young

Alabama Athletics

No. 9, 6'0" 194 pounds, junior 

Young was the first quarterback in Alabama history to win the Heisman Trophy, and fourth Crimson Tide player overall. 

He also won the Maxwell Award, which recognizes college football's top player, and both the Davey O'Brien and Manning awards, which honor the best quarterback in college football. Young was also named college football's Player of the Year by the Associated Press and The Sporting News.

As a sophomore he set the Alabama single-season marks for passing yards (4,872) and touchdowns (47), and was also named a team co-captain by his teammates. 

Young won the starting job after backing up Mac Jones for a season. 

Jalen Milroe

Alabama Athletics

No. 2, 6'2" 212 pounds, redshirt freshman 

Played in four games and finished 3-for-7, 41 passing yards and a touchdown, plus ran 15 times for 57 yards.

Milroe played high school football for Tompkins in Katy, Texas, and led his team to a 9-0 record in 2020 with 1,136 passing yards and 13 touchdowns while rushing for 259 yards and four scores. As a junior in 2019, he passed for 2,689 yards and 29 touchdowns while rushing for 300 yards and seven scores. Chose Alabama over in-state Texas and Texas A&M along with Arizona, Florida and Oregon.

Ty Simpson

Alabama Athletics

No. 15, 6'2" 198 pounds, freshman

The early enrollee was considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation and No. 24 overall recruit overall in the country according to Sports Illustrated All-American. ... Named the Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year after throwing for 2,827 yards and 41 touchdowns – with just three interceptions – while rushing for 862 yards and 11 scores on 92 carries. He led Westview High School to the 2A Tennessee State Championship under the direction of head coach Jarod Neal.

Simpson participated in Nike’s “The Opening” and was selected to the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. He threw for 1,888 yards as a junior on just 203 attempts with 20 touchdowns while rushing for 311 yards and seven scores. 

Simpson chose Alabama over Clemson, Ole Miss and Tennessee.

This is the first in a position-by-position series on the Crimson Tide this spring.