Alabama’s 2023 offseason will be headlined by a battle for the starting quarterback job between Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson. Replacing Heisman-winner Bryce Young will be no easy task, but ESPN believes the Crimson Tide are still strong at the position without him.
Adam Rittenberg of ESPN highlighted Alabama’s quarterback situation in his latest piece, which ranks the Tide at No. 5 in QB power rankings for the upcoming college football season.
“Alabama is in a transition period after losing Bryce Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner and an 8,200-yard passer at the school, as well as playcaller Bill O’Brien. Coach Nick Saban made an interesting hire in Tommy Rees, the 30-year-old who has spent most of his career coaching quarterbacks at Notre Dame, where he played QB. Third-year sophomore Jalen Milroe is set to compete with second-year Ty Simpson throughout the offseason. Milroe backed up Young and saw his most extensive action against Arkansasand Texas A&M after Young went out with a throwing shoulder injury. The 6-2, 212-pound Milroe, who initially committed to Texas and was ESPN’s No. 112 recruit in 2021, had 182 rushing yards in the two-game stretch while struggling at times as a passer.
“Simpson was ESPN’s No. 34 overall recruit in 2022, and completed 4 of 5 pass attempts last fall. Like Milroe, he has dual-threat ability but might have a higher ceiling as a passer. Alabama also bolstered its depth in the 2023 class with quarterbacks Eli Holstein and Dylan Lonergan, ESPN’s Nos. 5 and 6 pocket passers in the class, and ranked No. 29 and No. 36 overall. It’s unrealistic to expect all the quarterbacks to remain in Tuscaloosa, but Saban and Rees will have enough talented options to select from in the next few seasons.”
There are plenty of talented options for the Crimson Tide in 2023, but only one has seen meaningful playing time: Jalen Milroe.
Simpson saw the field some to close out games, but it was Milroe who got the nod to start against Texas A&M when Young was sidelined due to a shoulder injury he suffered.
In that game, Milroe completed 12 of his 19 passing attempts for 111 yards and three touchdowns, he did throw one interception. Milroe also managed to rush for 83 yards.
Though Simpson was behind Milroe on the depth chart in 2022, Saban’s decision will likely come down to performance in the offseason.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama Football as the 2023 offseason progresses.
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