- Head Coach: Kalen DeBoer (second season)
- 2024 Record: 9-4 (lost ReliaQuest Bowl)
- Strength of Schedule: 18th
- PFF Projected Win Total: 7.8
- FanDuel Win Total: 9.5
2024 Recap
It was a forgettable debut for Kalen DeBoer in Tuscaloosa. Alabama’s first season without Nick Saban ended with four losses — the most since Saban’s inaugural campaign in 2007. Still, expectations remain sky-high for 2025. The Crimson Tide returns a defense loaded with stars at every level, the nation’s best offensive line and a dynamic group of running backs. Headlining the offense is electric wide receiver Ryan Williams, one of college football’s brightest talents. The biggest question is who will step in for Jalen Milroe at quarterback, though Alabama boasts multiple intriguing options under center.
Biggest Strength: A star-studded defense
Alabama is one of just four programs with top-10 units on the defensive line, at linebacker and in the secondary. More notably, the Crimson Tide is the only team with a top-10 player at every defensive position.
Biggest Weakness: Inexperience under center
Now that Jalen Milroe is off to the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks, Alabama enters 2025 with a wide-open quarterback battle. Redshirt junior Ty Simpson is the early favorite, but redshirt sophomore Austin Mack and highly touted true freshman Keelon Russell are very much in the mix. All three are talented, giving Alabama a top-10 quarterback room on paper — but none has made a single collegiate start, adding a layer of intrigue and uncertainty to the Crimson Tide’s offense.
Three Notable Transfer Portal Additions
- CB Cameron Calhoun (Utah): 82.8 PFF Grade
- WR Isaiah Horton (Miami): 70.6 PFF Grade
- LB Nikhai Hill-Green (Colorado): 60.3 PFF Grade
Three Notable Transfer Portal Losses
- RB Justice Haynes (Michigan): 75.3 PFF Grade
- CB DeVonta Smith (Notre Dame): 71.3 PFF Grade
- OT Elijah Pritchett (Nebraska): 47.2 PFF Grade
Quarterback Spotlight: Ty Simpson
- 2024 Grade: 74.9
- Key Stat: Zero career starts
Overview: Simpson remains the favorite to win Alabama’s starting quarterback job, though he’s still battling redshirt sophomore Austin Mack and true freshman Keelon Russell this offseason. Simpson has seen limited action over the past three years, posting a 75.5 passing grade across just 65 dropbacks. If the former five-star recruit does earn the nod, he’ll step into a loaded roster and face immense pressure to deliver in Tuscaloosa.
Strengths: Simpson is essentially the antithesis of Alabama’s previous starter, Jalen Milroe. A true pocket passer, he thrives on rhythm and timing. His best work has come over the middle of the field, where he owns an 88.0 passing grade. While Simpson has enough functional mobility to evade pressure and scramble when needed, don’t expect him to be deployed as a runner the way Milroe was over the past two seasons.
Weaknesses: Inexperience looms large for Simpson as he competes to be Alabama’s starter. He’s attempted just 65 career dropbacks, with his only high-leverage action coming in 2023 against USF, when he replaced Tyler Buchner and led the Crimson Tide to a low-scoring win. Without Jalen Milroe’s elite athleticism, Simpson’s ability to handle SEC-caliber pressure from the pocket will likely determine how successful he can be in 2025.
Offensive Player Spotlight: WR Ryan Williams
You don’t land on the cover of EA Sports College Football 26 as a true sophomore without a sensational debut season. Williams’ 865 receiving yards in 2024 trailed only Jeremiah Smith among FBS true freshmen and ranked second among all true freshmen over the past three years. The former top-five recruit also led his class with 170 receiving yards after contact and finished second to Smith in yards after the catch (397), receiving touchdowns (eight) and yards per route run (2.51).
At 6-foot, 175 pounds, Williams pairs elite speed with effortless body control. He is the No. 2 receiver in college football heading into 2025. Oh, and he was just 17 for his entire freshman season. Has anyone mentioned that?
Defensive Player Spotlight: EDGE LT Overton
With a top-10 player at every defensive position, Alabama had no shortage of candidates here. But Overton stands out after a breakout 2024 season. Once a top-15 recruit, he struggled to find his footing at Texas A&M, posting just a 61.5 PFF grade over two years.
A transfer to Alabama changed everything. He finished as one of the 15 most valuable edge defenders in the country. His 18% pass-rush win rate ranked top 30 nationally, and his 81.7 run-defense grade was 25th. At 283 pounds, he blurs the line between edge rusher and defensive tackle, thriving anywhere along the Crimson Tide’s loaded defensive front.
Bottom Line
With one of the deepest defenses in college football and elite talent at the skill positions, Alabama’s national title hopes in 2025 hinge on finding consistent quarterback play.
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