Austin Mack means more to Ty Simpson than just a teammate in Alabama’s quarterback room. With the 2025 spring practice approaching, Simpson shared that he and Mack have become close since their time together in Tuscaloosa.
“Austin’s one of my best friends on the team,” Simpson told the Tuscaloosa News.
Simpson mentioned that he served as Mack’s recruiting host when the former Washington quarterback was in the transfer portal last year. Mack eventually followed Huskies coach Kalen DeBoer to Alabama as his first transfer.
Since then, Simpson said the two have been exchanging ideas.
“Just, how does he see this? And how do I see that?” Simpson said. “And how did Michael Penix see it, because he was in the same room as him.”
Although Mack had limited playing time in his first season with Alabama, he appeared for five snaps in the Crimson Tide’s 52-7 victory over Mercer on Nov. 16. He completed two out of three pass attempts for 39 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown to Rico Scott Jr.
Mack was ranked the No. 230 overall player and the No. 16 quarterback in the 2023 recruiting class, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.
The 6-foot-6, 236-pound Loomis, California native graduated early after accumulating 3,498 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, and five interceptions during his 2022 season at Folsom High School.
Mack and Simpson will soon be joined by 2025 five-star quarterback Keelon Russell.
Despite Mack’s limited action last season, Simpson believes the incoming third-year quarterback has significant potential.
“Austin is very smart,” Simpson said. “He’s going to be a very good player, and I’m super excited to see his growth as well.”
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Former Alabama linebacker explains why he transferred to South Carolina
Justin Okoronkwo, a promising young linebacker, only spent one season with Alabama football before deciding to pursue a different opportunity. After the 2024 season, Okoronkwo transferred to South Carolina, entering the transfer portal just before the deadline.
This timing is significant, as it followed the announcements from inside linebackers Deontae Lawson and Justin Jefferson that they would be returning for another season with Alabama. Okoronkwo explained his decision in an interview with The State in South Carolina.
“I felt like the starting spots were already gone,” Okoronkwo said. “And, I mean, it’s hard to compete — especially at a place like Bama — with guys who are more experienced than you.”
Along with the return of Lawson and Jefferson, Alabama also secured Nikhai Hill-Green, a linebacker from Colorado. This made for a crowded room, even with Jihaad Campbell, a 2024 starter, declaring for the NFL Draft.
Faced with tough competition, Okoronkwo decided to seek opportunities elsewhere and found a new home with the Gamecocks. South Carolina needs to replace two starting linebackers for the 2025 season. He also noted that the program’s strength staff played a role in his decision.
“(It’s) very impressive, especially compared to Bama,” Okoronkwo said. “What they are doing there, I really like because it’s way more related to the game. Like what drills they do and what lifts they do. That really stood out to me.”
In his brief time at Alabama, Okoronkwo logged 39 defensive snaps in 2024, including 14 in the Missouri game. The former three-star recruit from Germany is now looking forward to his new chapter with South Carolina.
