How Does Ty Simpson Grow as a Leader?

When you think of leaders on a football team, most people don't think about the backup quarterback.

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But from Jalen Milroe's shadow last season, quarterback Ty Simpson developed as a leader for the Crimson Tide. Simpson learned from great quarterbacks, such as Bryce Young and Milroe, ahead of him. Simpson learned how to be a good teammate from the sidelines. Now, he has his chance to lead from the field after being named Alabama's starting quarterback.

Simpson was named to the Tide's 2025 leadership team in spring, and his growth as a leader has impressed offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.

"Ty is pretty fiery. He's a pretty fiery guy. I've really been impressed how he's been able to kind of calm that," Grubb said. "I always thought I was wildly impressed in my time with Geno Smith. He's a fiery competitor as well. But I always told Ty, Geno's ability to get back to room temperature quickly and be able to process and be an elite quarterback was something that I was just always amazed by.

"I told Ty that's what you've got to be. A guy who can have composure and realize there's different times and release points. If you score a touchdown and want to go crazy, go crazy. But up until then, you've got to just be a smooth operator. "

Now that Simpson is the captain of the ship, how does Ryan Grubb want to see him improve over the next couple of weeks as Alabama prepares for August 30 against the Florida State Seminoles?

"Just keep being him, honestly. I think if he started acting out of character or doing some things that he hadn't done to this point, I think that would be the red flag for the team, for the guys. I think that he's established the type of person he is in the locker room. He's known these guys for a long time."

You can watch Ryan Grubb's full press conference here.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.