As Alabama football continues its spring practice period, Kalen DeBoer made it abundantly clear that Jalen Milroe is in the driver’s seat as QB1. His comments about the quarterback position indicate a firm plan forward.
However, they raise questions about the rest of the depth chart.
DeBoer, in his first year as the successor to Nick Saban, is going to move forward with Milroe. The redshirt sophomore is the incumbent starter after leading the Crimson Tide to the College Football Playoff last season. That has not changed. He continues to lead the pack.
Jalen’s taken every snap with the ones all spring. He’s just a proven guy who’s done a great job last year. Leading a football team to a semifinal game is not easy. A conference championship, an SEC one at that, he’s just done great things.
— Kalen DeBoer
There is a lot of buzz around the top returning Heisman Trophy vote-getter from last year. Milroe threw for 2,834 yards and 23 touchdowns with just six interceptions on a 65.8% completion rate in 12 games.
DeBoer does not see any reason why he cannot be even better this fall while other talented signal-callers breathe down his neck.
Jalen’s got multiple pieces to his game that he can just really excel at. We have some great ones in the room. Jalen’s certainly been headlining that room and doing a great job there, really taking in the offense, leading. He’s done a great job in all facets and things you’d want a quarterback to do.
— Kalen DeBoer
Barring unforeseen circumstance, Milroe will be the starting quarterback again in 2024.
Where does that leave Ty Simpson and Dylan Lonergan? What about Austin Mack?
An exodus feels inevitable at Alabama.
Only one quarterback can start at a time, obviously. Milroe will likely declare for the NFL Draft after this year, which opens things up for his replacement— if they are willing to wait that long.
“If” is the key word.
Ty Simpson will be a redshirt sophomore this fall. The former five-star recruit’s playing time against USF was one of the most crucial moments of the Crimson Tide’s College Football Playoff run.
Dylan Lonergan, a four-star recruit in the Class of 2023, will be a redshirt freshman. He has plenty of time to develop because his path to playing time is less clear.
However, right behind him is Austin Mack. DeBoer recruited him to Washington as a four-star recruit and brought him to Tuscaloosa as the tallest signal-caller in the group by a large margin.
It seems improbable that all four guys will choose to stay on the crowded roster.
Mack just transferred south. Milroe is the starter. They’re not going anywhere.
Where does that leave Simpson and Lonergan?
We will find out when the next transfer portal window opens in April.