Kalen DeBoer says Alabama QBs are trending up after first week of fall camp
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Kalen DeBoer knows whatever happens during Alabama’s fierce quarterback competition in fall camp, that there will be a new signal-caller taking over for Jalen Milroe.
And so far, as Alabama finished up its first week of camp on Sunday, the Crimson Tide 2nd-year head coach is fine with what he sees. In fact, he had some glowing words for his quarterbacks after the first 4 practices when speaking with reporters. While Kalen DeBoer didn’t indicate any change in the 3-man QB battle, he wasn’t afraid to tell everyone that the quarterbacks are trending up going into the 2nd week of practices.
“I thought the last 2 practices, those near misses have now been completions. And so, that’s what you like to see, where the plays are getting made. The last 2 days have really been better, and that’s what you want to see,” DeBoer told reporters after practice.
With Milroe gone to the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, there will surely be some adjustment period as Alabama features a new starting quarterback in 2025. Ty Simpson, Keelon Russell and Austin Mack are the 3 players competing for the job. Simpson has been with the program since 2022, while Russell is a true freshman and Mack is going into his 2nd season in Tuscaloosa and 3rd season of college football.
Mack redshirted during his true freshman season at Washington under DeBoer and current Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, so he has a lot of familiarity with the current Crimson Tide regime.
In a matter of a few weeks, things will shake out and Alabama will have its replacement for Milroe.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
