Kalen DeBoer explains decision to sub Austin Mack in for Ty Simpson vs. ULM
By Jacob Moss
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The Crimson Tide got things back on track this past weekend with a 73-0 beatdown of Louisiana-Monroe. Starting quarterback Ty Simpson looked particularly great for Alabama, going a perfect 17-for-17 on passes for 226 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Simpson’s day under center was a breath of fresh air for the Tide after the junior struggled at times in Week 1 against Florida State. Still, many wondered why head coach Kalen DeBoer decided to sub Simpson out early in the second quarter in favor of sophomore Austin Mack.
It’s pretty normal for teams to sub their starters out after halftime in games like these, but Simpson was pulled well before that mark last Saturday, and DeBoer explained why he made the move on Thursday morning while talking to the press.
“People wondered why we did that. I think competition is just so critical to bringing out the best in who you are,” DeBoer said Wednesday night on his Hey Coach radio show. “We do that at all these other positions, and quarterback is the hardest one because you don’t want to lose the momentum and the continuity, and he’s got to work with the receivers, and he’s got to do a good job of calling the plays.”
It makes a ton of sense for DeBoer to give all his guys as many reps as possible after the start they had to the season, and the second-year head coach for the Tide also believes that it brought out the best in Simpson, who was subbed back in following Mack’s first drive of the game.
“It brought out the best in Ty,” DeBoer said. “He had a good week, just really built that momentum — maybe even a little shock to him early on, when we said, ‘Hey, we’re gonna give Austin a series. At least one, and not gonna commit to anything more than that.’ It’s gonna bring out the best in him, and it did.”
If there’s one thing DeBoer knows better than just about anybody else, it’s how to get the most out of his quarterbacks, and that’s exactly what he did on Saturday. Now, he’ll be looking for Simpson and the rest of the guys in the QB room to bring that same competitive spirit for the rest of the season.
