Ty Simpson is gone. Honestly, it feels like we just started getting used to him. After three years of waiting in the wings behind Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe, Simpson finally took the keys to the Crimson Tide offense in 2025. He threw for over 3,500 yards, led the team to an 11-4 record, and then—poof—he declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. Now, every fan from Huntsville to Mobile is asking the same thing: Who is actually taking the first snap for Alabama in 2026?
It's a wide-open race.
Kalen DeBoer doesn't have a returning starter for the first time since he arrived in Tuscaloosa. The 2026 spring practice is going to be a complete desert-island survival scenario for the remaining signal-callers. There’s no "incumbent" here. We’re looking at a three-way collision between a massive Californian, a Texas prodigy, and a fresh face from the Cornhusker State.
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The Giant in the Room: Austin Mack
If you like size, Austin Mack is your guy. He's 6-foot-6. He weighs 235 pounds. He looks more like a tight end than a modern "scrambling" quarterback, but don't let the frame fool you. Mack followed DeBoer from Washington because he knows this system better than anyone else in the building. He's basically a coach on the field at this point.
Mack spent 2024 as the third-stringer and 2025 as the primary backup. When Simpson went down with that nasty cracked rib in the Rose Bowl loss to Indiana, it was Mack who stepped into the fire. Sure, the score was ugly (38-3 is hard to look at), but Mack has the "pure thrower" tag that offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb raves about. He finished 2025 with 24 completions on 32 attempts. That’s efficiency, even if it was mostly in relief.
The pro-Mack argument is simple: He won’t make mistakes. He’s a redshirt sophomore with a massive arm who won't get rattled by a complex blitz. But is he too stationary? In an SEC that’s getting faster every year, some fans worry he’s a sitting duck.
The Five-Star Spark: Keelon Russell
Then there’s Keelon Russell. If Mack is the steady hand, Russell is the lightning bolt. Coming out of Duncanville High School in Texas, Russell was the guy everyone wanted. He flipped from SMU to Alabama and brought a "dual-threat" energy that the Tide hasn't really had since Milroe left for the Seattle Seahawks.
Russell didn't play a ton in 2025, but what we saw was electric. He went 11-for-15 in his limited snaps, showing a twitchy ability to escape the pocket that Mack just doesn't have. He’s 6-foot-3 and around 195 pounds—lean, fast, and aggressive.
The buzz around Tuscaloosa is that Russell might have the higher ceiling. NFL scouts are already sniffing around him because he fits the modern mold of a playmaker who can "off-platform" throw his way out of trouble. But can a true sophomore handle the mental load of a DeBoer offense? That’s the $6.5 million question.
The Wildcard: Jett Thomalla
We can't ignore the new kid. Jett Thomalla signed out of Nebraska as a four-star recruit and he’s not just here to hold a clipboard. He’s 2026's version of the "pro-style" freshman who could benefit if Mack and Russell stumble into a stalemate during the summer. While it's rare for a freshman to start at Alabama, the NIL era has taught us that talent waits for nobody.
Why This Competition Is Different
This isn't the Nick Saban era. Under Saban, you usually knew who the guy was by the second week of August. DeBoer and Grubb are a bit more fluid. They want the guy who can process the most information in the shortest amount of time.
Last year, Ty Simpson stayed because he loved the program, even turning down massive NIL offers from Miami and Tennessee to go pro. That kind of loyalty is rare. Now, the "Revenue Sharing" deals are already being inked for 2026. Alabama’s NIL collective, Yea Alabama, has already locked in Mack and Russell with new deals. They aren't going anywhere. They both want to be the guy.
Breaking Down the Stats (2025 Season)
- Austin Mack: 228 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 75% completion rate.
- Keelon Russell: 143 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 73% completion rate.
- Ty Simpson (Departed): 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, 5 interceptions.
Replacing Simpson’s 28-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio is a tall order. Simpson was incredibly careful with the ball, which is why Bama made the playoffs despite some defensive struggles late in the year. If Mack or Russell starts throwing picks in the spring game, the fan base will get restless quickly.
What to Watch for in the Spring Game
Keep an eye on the "internal clock." Austin Mack sometimes holds the ball a beat too long because he trusts his arm to beat the coverage. Keelon Russell occasionally tries to "hero ball" his way out of a sack instead of throwing it away.
The winner of the 2026 starting job won't be the guy with the prettiest spiral. It’ll be the guy who doesn't turn the ball over against a Kane Wommack defense that loves to bait young quarterbacks into bad decisions.
Honestly, the battle might not even end in the spring. Don't be surprised if this goes all the way into the season opener. Alabama fans have seen this movie before—remember 2023? It took weeks for Milroe to truly "win" the job. 2026 feels like it’s headed down a similar path.
To stay ahead of the curve, watch for reports from the first few closed scrimmages in March. If Mack is taking 70% of the first-team reps, the job is likely his to lose. But if Russell is "splitting the atom" with the starters, we might be looking at a changing of the guard sooner rather than later. Check the official Alabama Athletics roster updates frequently as spring ball approaches to see if any late transfers change the math.