Jalen Milroe certainly had his moments while serving as the starting quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide. 2023, his first year as the starter, was a magical run. It looked to continue in 2024, but after the matchup with the Georgia Bulldogs, he did not look like the same guy.
Head coach Kalen DeBoer has big plans for the offense moving forward. With the ongoing quarterback battle between Austin Mack, Ty Simpson, and Keelon Russell, any of the three will prove a change of pace from Milroe. All three are more pocket passers than runners. While the contrast in styles will be drastic, it could prove to be a boon for the offensive production.
New Quarterback in 2025 Opens up Offense for Alabama Crimson Tide
DeBoer’s Thoughts
DeBoer spoke with reporters on Tuesday with practice resuming. One question the coach was asked was how he expected to make up the production lost by quarterback scrambles.
Who will be Alabama’s starting QB when the 2025 season kicks off?
Ty Simpson, Austin Mack & true freshman Keelon Russell compete for the job during the Tide’s spring practice.
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— Alabama Crimson Tide | AL.com (@aldotcomTide) March 18, 2025
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“You kind of think, ‘Well, the runs Jalen had just translate over to running backs.’ But I think a lot of it was the style of offense, too,” DeBoer said. “To me, those runs go to the running backs, but they also might be a few more pass attempts that you have that the play-action games gets opened up by more handoffs to the tailback. I see a lot of that kind of developing right now with the play-action game because there are more carries that the running backs have. The system is the same. The concepts are the same. It’s just what direction you call more plays when it comes to the style of runs, which are definitely tailback-oriented right now, for sure, than what we saw a year ago.”
It is easy to see the plan. Whichever quarterback takes the snaps will be handing the ball off more than we have seen in years past. As usual, the Crimson Tide has a stout running back room. With Jamarion Miller seemingly leading the way, the unit can wreak havoc on opposing defenses. Once the ground game gets established, the defense will begin to cheat up to the line of scrimmage. At that point, the top will come off with the quarterback throwing a play-action pass.
Bama RB Jamarion Miller 5’10 218 shows some quick footwork to navigate tight spaces. He’s averaging 8 ypc on limited touches. A player to watch going forward pic.twitter.com/ivjJltDXyU
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Quarterback Room Built for This
Any of the three currently in battle for the starting role would do fine as the de facto field general. Russell is an expected superstar, but he is still just a freshman. He could need more time to get acclimated to this level before we see his full potential. Simpson and Mack are veterans of this level of play. Neither has been a starter to this point, but they are farther along in their development.
A field general role could be the way to go. Let the running backs carry the load, then catch the defense sleeping with a deep ball to Ryan Williams. The system has worked in the past. Guys like AJ McCarron, Greg McElroy, and Jake Coker looked like studs in the role. Mac Jones made people believe he could be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
Until one of the quarterbacks shows otherwise, this is the safest path with the highest chance for success. Let Russell develop and acclimate to the college level. Limit the chances of Simpson or Mack turning the ball over. Give formerly 17-year-old superstar Williams more deep opportunities.
It is a tried and true method that has worked for decades. The old ways work, and we could see more of them in 2025.
Main Image: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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