Kalen DeBoer Feels Confident in 'All Four' Quarterbacks

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Kalen DeBoer was asked which position groups he's been most impressed by this spring. A lot of times when a head coach is asked a question like that, especially in the offseason, they can tend to hem and haw around an answer–– either not wanting to show favoritism, express doubt or reveal too much. Instead going with something general like, "Everybody's looking good."

But DeBoer took a different approach on Thursday as Alabama wrapped up its final spring practice before Saturday's A-Day game. There are four different position groups he has been impressed with: defensive line, defensive backs, running backs and quarterbacks.

The new head coach along with the offensive assistants have made it clear throughout the spring that returning starter Jalen Milroe is the No. 1 guy at quarterback and has been taking all the reps with the first team. But it's not just Milroe that has been impressive so far, but also Ty Simpson, Austin Mack and Dylan Lonergan.

"Just the number of quarterbacks that we have that you would feel comfortable putting out in a football game. I mean, really all four," DeBoer said. "They are extremely solid. Doing a great job of their accuracy, their reads, competitiveness. I mean, just picking things up each and every day. That group has done a really good job -- I don't want to say top to bottom -- just across the board."

Milroe is the only one of the four with significant in-game reps. Simpson has served as backup at Alabama for multiple seasons and played for a majority of Alabama's road win at USF last season. Mack has yet to take a college snap, but already has a season of learning DeBoer's offensive system under his belt at Washington. And Lonergan was highly-touted out of high school and received a lot of buzz last year throughout the season.

DeBoer also likes what he's seen from the running backs, calling them "really steady." This is the second offseason in a row that an Alabama head coach has expressed confidence in the running backs as a position group as last season Nick Saban repeatedly said that the running backs were one of the groups he had the least concerns with.

It's important to note however that being impressed doesn't necessarily equal confidence for DeBoer. He specified that what's impressed him throughout the spring are how the position groups have performed that skew a little younger, like the defensive line and defensive backs.

"The sides of the ball or position groups that have the veterans, you expect them to go out there and get it done," he said. "And so, I really like some things that are happening up front, defensive line-wise. But I also think defensive back-wise, there's some young guys that have grown. So I'm impressed with some individual play, considering how how young they are."

All of Alabama's players will have the opportunity to display their works from the spring this Saturday at 3 p.m. inside Bryant-Denny Stadium for the A-Day game, Things will be a little different this A-Day, as it won't be a traditional scrimmage between two teams, but rather offense versus defense. However, fans will still have their first opportunity to watch the 2024 Crimson Tide and decide for themselves who looks most impressive.