MOBILE, Ala. — With Bryce Young heading for the NFL, there will be a new signal caller lining up under center for Alabama next season. In 2022, the country caught a glimpse of the two favorites to fill Young’s shoes at quarterback next season — Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson.
A few former Crimson Tide players partaking in Saturday’s Senior Bowl offered their perspectives on the upcoming quarterback battle that will commence this fall.
“Both of them are great players,” Cam Latu said. “Both of them are two different players and they’re going to have to fight it out for that position. I believe both are good players. I can’t speak on who is going to play and who’s not, I’m not a coach, but they are both good players.”
The duo complied 58 passing attempts as they backed up Young for the majority of the season. Milroe got more opportunities last season serving as the immediate backup to Young and showcased his abilities against Arkansas and against Texas A&M.
In eight games, the redshirt freshman totaled 297 yards on 31 of 53 passing with five touchdowns and three interceptions. While he tallied some impressive passing numbers, Milroe showcased his blazing speed, especially against the Razorbacks.
The Katy, Texas native came in relief of Young after he suffered a shoulder injury in the second quarter and led the Alabama offense to five touchdowns in eight drives. One of the scores was his 77-yard dash to the endzone en route to 91 yards rushing in the win.
“He definitely has an arm,” Latu said. “His accuracy is good. he just has to get used to that offense. Practice makes perfect. He’s gotta go out there, work hard and be consistent.”
Milroe was backed up by former five-star quarterback Simpson. The Martin, Tennessee native played in four games, completing 4-of-5 passes for 35 yards, most of which came during the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
Latu complemented Simpson’s throwing ability as one of the aspects of his game that stood out last season, but noted he and Milrow need to get more comfortable in the offense this offseason.
Added DeMarcco Hellams: “Ty is definitely a savvy player. Ty has a nice game. Ty has more deceptive speed. Ty’s a really good player, Milroe is a really good player and I think they model each other a little bit. Whether people see or not, but they’re also different in some ways.”
Alabama added Dylan Lonergan and Eli Holstein to its quarterback room this season. The newcomers were ranked in the Rivals250 and were rated in the top 15 at quarterback in the 2023 recruiting class.
Holstein got a chance to practice with Alabama as the team prepared to face Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl and made an early impression on Hellams.
“I got to work against him when he was on the scout team,” Hellams said. “He showed that he can throw the ball and I like the confidence that he plays with.”