Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine this week, and when he addressed the media on Friday, he delved into the reasons the Crimson Tide underperformed, especially later in the season.
After a season-opening loss to Florida State, the Tide seemed to right the ship, rising to a No. 4 ranking and prompting Heisman talk for Simpson.
After the regular season, though, the Tide was thumped in two of three games, first losing 28-7 to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game and then 38-3 to the eventual national champions Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl.
So what happened? Simpson indicated that the issue was one Alabama fans haven’t experienced in decades: The Crimson Tide was out of its depth.
“We played better teams. They had better schemes,” he explained. “We’ve just got to make it simple. We’ve got to make the easy plays easy, stick to what we’re good at.”
Simpson Acknowledges Injuries, but Takes Accountability
Simpson struggled with a back injury throughout the back half of the season, though it became very apparent in the Rose Bowl.
He was ultimately benched for backup Austin Mack in the blowout.
That said, Simpson didn’t blame the injuries for the lack of success.
“I’ve definitely got to play better,” he said. “I’ve got to have accountability in that. I’ve got to make sure we win those big-time games.”
Looking Back on an Up-and-Down 2025
Simpson said despite the struggles, there were a lot of positives for the 2025 Crimson Tide.
That loss to Florida State could’ve derailed the rest of the season.
Instead, Simpson and company had a run of ranked wins, including a win over Georgia in Athens and an electrifying victory over rival Tennessee on the Third Saturday in October.
The moment of the season, though, may be the Tide’s playoff win.
Just a little over a month after a head-scratching loss to Oklahoma at home, the Tide went into Norman in the College Football Playoff and turned what looked like a beatdown into a thrilling win.
“I’m really proud of the team. I’m not taking anything away from our team and what they did,” he said. “We won a playoff game on the road down 17-0. We went to the Rose Bowl. We went to the SEC Championship … I love those guys and I’m super proud to be Alabama Crimson Tide.”
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