Alabama is stepping back into the SEC Championship spotlight, and the Tide are trusting Ty Simpson to guide them through one of the toughest defenses in college football. But on the eve of the biggest game of his career, Nick Saban delivered a very real, and very public, challenge to Alabama's quarterback.
During his Friday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Saban didn’t sugarcoat the situation. He opened with praise, saying, “Ty Simpson has done a great job all year long.” But then came the part that grabbed everyone’s attention.
Saban revealed that Simpson has fallen into a habit that elite defenses are now exploiting.
He explained that Simpson has been “leaving the home position to change plays: the platform. And the other team is changing the defense (before the snap).”
In other words: Simpson’s pre-snap checks have become a tell.
Defenses are seeing him move, waiting for him to adjust, and then flipping their coverage at the last second.
Auburn did it repeatedly in the Iron Bowl, and Georgia is ten times better at disguising looks.
Saban didn’t hold back on the consequences:
“So that doesn’t create any advantage for you checking a play on offense. So hopefully he’ll do a little better job of that this week and that won’t be a problem for Alabama’s offense.”
That’s as close as Saban ever gets to saying: They know what you’re doing. Stop letting them.
And honestly, it matches what fans have seen all season. Simpson has shown flashes of brilliance, but he’s also been predictable and inconsistent in big moments.
Against Georgia, predictability is a death sentence.
Kirby Smart lives off baiting quarterbacks into mistakes, disguising coverage, and punishing hesitation.
For Alabama to take down the No. 3 Bulldogs, Simpson must show growth, and fast. He has the arm talent. He has the athleticism.
But on Saturday, Alabama needs more than talent.
They need control.
Poise.
Camouflage.
And none of that can happen if Simpson continues tipping his intentions before the ball is even snapped.
This is the moment that separates good quarterbacks from championship quarterbacks.
If Ty Simpson settles in and plays clean, Alabama has a real path to shocking college football again.
But if the same pre-snap habits show up, Georgia will smell it instantly, and the Tide’s title hopes could evaporate before halftime.
Everything Saban said points to the same truth:
Alabama doesn’t need a perfect Ty Simpson.
They just need a smarter one.