The way too early discussion on whether Ty Simpson should return next season or enter the draft

[Saban4Ever]

Ty’s NFL prospects will be a lot clearer by end of Saturday night.

Im no MD put he has to be injured rn.

I think it is is back and/or abdominal strain. It affects his follow thru motion.

 

[arthurdawg]

Well... If he is subpar... Do we go with Mack? He has limited snaps and no experience in a must win situation... But I bet he'd do well.

 

[Tidewater]

Here is what I think. This is all conjecture on my part.
Ty is hurt, I fear badly (or at least an injury that might require surgery). His running is weird and his throwing is off. And given that Bama has had no running game to rely on, the passing must be near perfect.
He has waited for his chance to start and I think Coach DeBoer really does not to pull him because of his past patience and current leadership. Not starting Ty would crush that young man, especially against the Barn.
The most popular man on campus is always the second string QB, but a healthy Mack Austin (versus an injured Ty Simpson) might give Bama the best chance of winning.

 

[AlexanderFan]

Here is what I think. This is all conjecture on my part.
Ty is hurt, I fear badly (or at least an injury that might require surgery). His running is weird and his throwing is off. And given that Bama has had no running game to rely on, the passing must be near perfect.
He has waited for his chance to start and I think Coach DeBoer really does not to pull him because of his past patience and current leadership. Not starting Ty would crush that young man, especially against the Barn.
The most popular man on campus is always the second string QB, but a healthy Mack Austin (versus an injured Ty Simpson) might give Bama the best chance of winning.

In Jordan Hare at night for his first start? Probably not.

 

[editder]

Well... If he is subpar... Do we go with Mack? He has limited snaps and no experience in a must win situation... But I bet he'd do well.

I wouldn’t start Mack, but if things are looking grim at halftime it might be good to make the move.

 

[Tidewater]

In Jordan Hare at night for his first start? Probably not.

A fair point. All the more reason to have started him against Eastern Illinois (and have publicly stated that this was to give Ty a week to rest for the iron Bowl. If you look at Ty's performance prior to MIzzou and since, it's a marked change.

 

[AlexanderFan]

A fair point. All the more reason to have started him against Eastern Illinois (and have publicly stated that this was to give Ty a week to rest for the iron Bowl. If you look at Ty's performance prior to MIzzou and since, it's a marked change.

Absolutely agree. Ty shouldn’t have even been in the stadium.

Acupuncture, cups, Jobu, whoever or whatever he needs to get through this Saturday should’ve been the top priority.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

Absolutely agree. Ty shouldn’t have even been in the stadium.

Acupuncture, cups, Jobu, whoever or whatever he needs to get through this Saturday should’ve been the top priority.

I definitely wish we didn’t have so many close games because it prevented us from getting both Mack and KR some playing time against SEC caliber defenses.

We do not want either getting 1st time major action in desperation vs AU in JH.

I wish we had sat Ty last week too because playing him accomplished nothing wrt to healing because he got popped again.

 

[graydogg85]

Mack has looked great in limited action this season (and I believe he’s the starter in 2026), but the quality of the opponents must be considered.

Also take into account that Milroe was never benched last season - and I’m also convinced that he played the back half of 2024 with some sort of undisclosed injury. He was never the same after about the 1st quarter of the South Carolina game.

No way Ty doesn’t go against Auburn unless he gets badly injured, and I think it would take a monstrous performance to get him benched in that game. I think CKD is a huge believer in QB1 being the team leader, and doesn’t like the optics of benching him. He seemingly has no issue benching other players, as we’ve seen this season with the shuffling on the OL or Lee taking Jackson’s starting job at DB.

I understand this to a large extent. Ty is still making a lot of nice throws, even with the reported injury. The ball security aspect is what concerns me now. I think the interceptions against OU and EIU were more of the fluky variety, but we had something like 5 straight games where he took a hit from his blind side and lost a fumble. We cannot have something like that happen against AU.

I really would love to see Grubb replicate the UGA game plan this week. That was the best we’ve done all season with getting the ball out quickly and mixing in running plays at just the right time. We don’t need five step drops and a bunch of play action / slow developing pass plays this week.

 

[mlh]

I really would love to see Grubb replicate the UGA game plan this week. That was the best we’ve done all season with getting the ball out quickly and mixing in running plays at just the right time. We don’t need five step drops and a bunch of play action / slow developing pass plays this week.

I think AU is going to sell out on putting pressure on our QB. They will be blitzing like crazy and rushing 6 and sometimes 7 players in an attempt to rush more players than we have blockers. TS and the WRs all need to be on the same page with regard to hot routes. If TS get's knocked out of the game, it will be a long night in JH. Our backup QBs don't have the experience to handle that kind of assault in a hostile environment.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

Mack has looked great in limited action this season (and I believe he’s the starter in 2026), but the quality of the opponents must be considered.

Also take into account that Milroe was never benched last season - and I’m also convinced that he played the back half of 2024 with some sort of undisclosed injury. He was never the same after about the 1st quarter of the South Carolina game.

No way Ty doesn’t go against Auburn unless he gets badly injured, and I think it would take a monstrous performance to get him benched in that game. I think CKD is a huge believer in QB1 being the team leader, and doesn’t like the optics of benching him. He seemingly has no issue benching other players, as we’ve seen this season with the shuffling on the OL or Lee taking Jackson’s starting job at DB.

I understand this to a large extent. Ty is still making a lot of nice throws, even with the reported injury. The ball security aspect is what concerns me now. I think the interceptions against OU and EIU were more of the fluky variety, but we had something like 5 straight games where he took a hit from his blind side and lost a fumble. We cannot have something like that happen against AU.

I really would love to see Grubb replicate the UGA game plan this week. That was the best we’ve done all season with getting the ball out quickly and mixing in running plays at just the right time. We don’t need five step drops and a bunch of play action / slow developing pass plays this week.

Good post but Mack won't be with the team in the off-season. I expect him to enter the transfer portal at some point.

As far Ty playing in the game, I actually disagree. I thought he needed to play in the game and try to get some of issues out of the way. He didn't look too bad in the game. He wasn't in the game that long so I was okay with that.

The game plan for Auburn game is still same as others....

Stay out of third and long situations and move the ball often. Don't get cute with play calling.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

Good post but Mack won't be with the team in the off-season. I expect him to enter the transfer portal at some point.

As far Ty playing in the game, I actually disagree. I thought he needed to play in the game and try to get some of issues out of the way. He didn't look too bad in the game. He wasn't in the game that long so I was okay with that.

The game plan for Auburn game is still same as others....

Stay out of third and long situations and move the ball often. Don't get cute with play calling.

That may or may not happen but it’s too early to definitively make a guess.

Ty’s decision will be up in the air 1st. He might come back he might not.

If he goes to the NFL I would expect a new Spring Battle for QB1

We are at the end of the year and all signs point to Mack still being QB2 and he looks improved.

 

[jashleyren2]

That game plan, as much it requires execution first and foremost on 1st and 2nd down, can be done with less "creative" playcalling. Keep it in front of the sticks. Win the T.O.P. by a large margin. That was the recipe that lead to our run after the FSU game through the Tennessee game. We didn't even win that T.O.P. against UT, if memory serves, but it was rather close.

Since SCAR, we have not done anything similar to what we did for 6-7 solid weeks. I'm with those of you who think Ty is injured. Nothing about his game play looks the same. Something effecting his throwing is off. I think of some of the sacks he's had, and any one of them may have tweaked an elbow, a shoulder, and I've seen some lower body hits/tackles that looked like trouble as well.

I'll finish by saying that I love, love, love, a coach's commitment to a player who shows commitment too. I do. It harkens back to when the sport was still about spirit of competition. 2025 is not the era for it anymore, unfortunately. It's about Winning, like always, but it's now about MONEY, equally. CKD is getting paid a lot. These players are getting paid varying amounts as well. Nothing about that is amateur; it's about impact to the game and WINNING. Money begets victories. This is semi-pro ball now.

 

[graydogg85]

I think AU is going to sell out on putting pressure on our QB. They will be blitzing like crazy and rushing 6 and sometimes 7 players in an attempt to rush more players than we have blockers. TS and the WRs all need to be on the same page with regard to hot routes. If TS get's knocked out of the game, it will be a long night in JH. Our backup QBs don't have the experience to handle that kind of assault in a hostile environment.

I agree, but I also think they’ll be able to get consistent pressure with 4-5 guys. The tape on us now dictates that a defense should line the ends up wide against the tackles, and keep an LB and safety in a soft zone in the intermediate middle of the field. This makes Ty uncomfortable in the pocket and disrupts the timing-based intermediate throws to the middle of the field, which have been our bread and butter. South Carolina did this, which is why we used extra blockers and tried so many deep shots against them as they were leaving the back end of their defense in a lot of one-on-one situations. Just couldn’t connect on the throws. Ordinarily, this strategy would leave a defense vulnerable to zone runs in the gaps, but our OL blocking issues and our backs’ inability to see holes or make effective cuts neutralizes this.

If I’m Grubb, I’m lining up Bernard and Brooks in the backfield frequently, rolling the pocket and hitting those guys quickly in the flats over and over again until the defense has to adjust.

 

[BamaMoon]

I hate to say it. But I think Ty is slumping at the completely wrong time to slump. He may be injured too, but I'm afraid his psyche has taken a hit on confidence too.

His biggest strength earlier of throwing across the middle now seems suspect.

But, as the ole saying goes, we are gonna dance with who brought us. It's Ty win or lose against AU.

I just hope we don't lose to AU and miss the playoff, because if we do it'll be because of our OL, but CKD will feel the heat of a thousands suns this off season if we do.

 

[BamaMoon]

If Ty goes to the draft, it'll be a big, long thread about Mack or Russell.

But now, I'm concerned if Ty stays what will happen too.

There's no way we keep all three next year.

And, if Russell gets away I'm afraid we'll regret the day he never played QB at Bama.

Nobody knows, but I'm of the opinion he may be on the level of a Tua, Mac or Bryce.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

I hate to say it. But I think Ty is slumping at the completely wrong time to slump. He may be injured too, but I'm afraid his psyche has taken a hit on confidence too.

His biggest strength earlier of throwing across the middle now seems suspect.

But, as the ole saying goes, we are gonna dance with who brought us. It's Ty win or lose against AU.

I just hope we don't lose to AU and miss the playoff, because if we do it'll be because of our OL, but CKD will feel the heat of a thousands suns this off season if we do.

It’s really the FSU game that’s haunting us.

If we pick up a 3rd loss to either AU or A&M it will do us in.

But it’s really the FSU game because without that loss we are already a lock for the CFBP.

That FSU loss was and still is inexcusable so the heat will be fair.

I hope it doesn’t come to that. The defense has improved and there are flashes of what the Offense could be without OL breakdowns.

He’s gotta make the Playoffs though with a 12 Team Field.

 

[arthurdawg]

It basically all hinges on our OL taking a step in the right direction. Carroll has built up some reps, so hopefully he can handle speed better than Formsby. Proctor is what he is.

 

[graydogg85]

Good post but Mack won't be with the team in the off-season. I expect him to enter the transfer portal at some point.

As far Ty playing in the game, I actually disagree. I thought he needed to play in the game and try to get some of issues out of the way. He didn't look too bad in the game. He wasn't in the game that long so I was okay with that.

The game plan for Auburn game is still same as others....

Stay out of third and long situations and move the ball often. Don't get cute with play calling.

Is that because you think Mack has seen the writing on the wall with Russell? Or is that because you think Ty comes back for 2026? Or something else entirely? Just curious. I wouldn’t blame him - but with Russell getting more reps on Saturday, do we know that Russell has more or less supplanted him on the depth chart?

 

[editder]

I think AU is going to sell out on putting pressure on our QB. They will be blitzing like crazy and rushing 6 and sometimes 7 players in an attempt to rush more players than we have blockers. TS and the WRs all need to be on the same page with regard to hot routes. If TS get's knocked out of the game, it will be a long night in JH. Our backup QBs don't have the experience to handle that kind of assault in a hostile environment.

We really need the defense to choke the barn out, maybe get a NOT or two. The less we need from the offense, the better.