Alabama Crimson Tide Spring College Football Transfer Portal Quarterback Watch

There is a storm approaching. Does anyone see it? It is the Spring College Football Transfer Portal that opens on Tuesday, April 16. Many teams will lose players and gain players. But no position will be more affected by the NCAA’s wild wild west show than quarterback – undeniably the most important position in football.

NIGHTMARE SCENARIO

Historically, most teams typically have four scholarship signal callers, preferably in different scholastic classes. Alabama has RS-Jr. Jalen Milroe, RS-Soph. Ty Simpson, RS-Fr. Dylan Lonergan, and RS-Fr. Austin Mack.

Milroe is not going anywhere. Mack just arrived in Tuscaloosa, which is no slam dunk of 100% allegiance to stick around until fall (Kadyn Proctor anyone?). Simpson and Lonergan are big question marks. The Crimson Tide could lose one or both of them. Should the latter occur, all it takes is one awkward landing to the starter and Bama is putting the load on a redshirt freshman who has yet to take a collegiate snap. Should lightning strike twice, the Crimson Tide would be led by a walk-on named Cade Carruth who nobody expected to ever take a snap until the waning moments of the November cupcake game before Iron Bowl of his senior year.

PATIENCE IS A … VIRTUE?

Put yourselves in Simpson’s and Lonergan’s situations. Simpson will be starting his third season at the Capstone as a back-up with two to play after 2024. Lonergan is in his second campaign with three left after this season. Either one of these young men could probably leave today and be QB1 at several SEC schools not to mention others outside the conference. Do they want to wait around another year on the sidelines but do so for the bluest of bluebloods? Or is it time to move on to a more greener program but be a starter?

A few Milroe scenarios could transpire this year: 1) He has a great year and cannot deny the siren call of the NFL; 2) He has an okay year and decides to come back one more year to hone his skills; 3) He crash and burns and is replaced at quarterback this year. If you are Simpson or Lonergan, what would you do?

One other factor to consider is that Lonergan is an excellent baseball prospect. He could leave the sport all together.

WELL, BAMA CAN JUST TRANSFER SOMEONE IN!

If one or two of the Tide quarterbacks leave, Alabama can just go into the portal for a replacement. Right? For any other position, this is an agreeable statement. However, a football team can only play one field general at a a time. Anyone coming in would have to understand that he will most likely come in as a reserve in 2024. Only a handful QBs in FBS would be able to come in for fall camp and supplant Milroe. But why would they leave their existing school to enter a QB battle with an incumbent who finished sixth in voting for the 2023 Heisman Trophy?

So, the search would be for a back-up. A candidate such as that would probably be someone along the lines of a starter at a non-Power program or FCS. Would the starter at Kent State…