Why Nick Saban has 'all the respect in the world' for Alabama QB Ty Simpson ahead of first career start

Legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban recruited quarterback Ty Simpson to the Crimson Tide but never got to see him hold the starting job before his retirement. Three years after his arrival in Tuscaloosa, one of the countless five-star recruits to sign with Saban's program is finally set to headline the depth chart. Simpson will start for the No. 8-ranked Crimson Tide in Saturday's season opener at Florida State after he defeated fellow returning backup Austin Mack and five-star freshman Keelon Russell for the job.

Simpson is an anomaly in modern college football with his now-unique path to the starting lineup. He stuck with the program through a coaching change and developed for three years as a backup before making his starting debut. In the transfer era, that kind of patience is nearly unheard of. His commitment to the Crimson Tide and the development process left an impression on his former coach.

"I think Ty is a great young man," Saban said on "The Pat McAfee Show." "I have all the respect in the world for these guys that stay in the program for three years, develop and wait their turn. I think that's the thing that Ty has done extremely well."

Per CBS Sports' John Talty, Simpson is the only five-star quarterback in the 247Sports recruiting era (since 2010) to stay at one program for more than three seasons without making a single start. The No. 4 quarterback prospect in the 2022 class has 16 games of experience but made all of his appearances in relief.

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"There's so many of these guys that grow up now being outcome-oriented," Saban said. "They're always looking at results. How many passes did I complete? How many touchdowns did I have? And then they create these expectations for themselves, and when they don't live up to them, they get frustrated very easily. That body language is not good for a quarterback. It's not good for a team. So that's the big thing that Ty has had to sort of work his way through, is not get affected by a bad play, stay focused on the next play."

Across his limited action, Simpson completed 29 of his first 50 career passes. He accumulated 381 yards without a touchdown or an interception. Simpson also brings rushing ability to the Alabama offense and has 22 career carries for 130 yards and three scores.

"He's got all the talent in the world," Saban said. "He's got legs that are real. He's a very accurate passer. He's a good decision maker. He's smart. He's a good leader. So it'll be interesting to see how he can maintain the consistency and performance that define success by not getting affected by ups and downs in a game."

Kalen DeBoer will launch Simpson into action against a tough Week 1 opponent in Florida State, which projects to be significantly improved from its 2024, two-win self. The tricky road environment and Power Four foe present an immediate test for Simpson, and if he passes with flying colors, the Crimson Tide's SEC outlook will flourish.