Kirk Herbstreit Believes Another Year Could Elevate Ty Simpson

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As the fourth quarter of Alabama’s Rose Bowl game unfolded Thursday night, the spotlight briefly shifted from the field to the future of Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson.

During the ESPN broadcast, Kirk Herbstreit offered his perspective on what could be next for Simpson, encouraging the Alabama signal-caller to consider running it back in 2026. Herbstreit pointed to continued development, experience, and another year in a high-level college football environment as reasons a return could be beneficial.

“Yeah, I think he should,” Herbstreit said on the ESPN broadcast. “I think it’d be great to see him come back and Alabama work hard to get better at running the football to take some of the heat off of him. I think he can really grow and develop with another year of playing college football and playing in these kinds of games. It really helps guys develop so they’re more prepared for that next step.”

The comments came on a difficult night for Simpson, who struggled throughout the Rose Bowl.

He never found a consistent rhythm, missed throws he has made before, and looked uncomfortable at times as Alabama’s offense sputtered on the game’s biggest stage.

It was a tough performance in a moment that demands clarity and control from the quarterback position.

That inconsistency has been a theme at times this season. Throughout the majority of the season, Simpson was playing at an elite level and briefly put himself in the Heisman Trophy conversation. As the season progressed, however, the highs and lows became more noticeable. Strong performances were followed by uneven outings, and by season’s end, Simpson went from a legitimate Heisman front-runner to not even making the trip to New York for the ceremony.

Still, the full body of work matters.

Simpson entered the Rose Bowl with 3,500 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and just five interceptions, numbers that reflect both his talent and his ability to protect the football.

But he finished the game in Pasadena completing 12 of 16 passes for 67 yards. A horrible performance at the very least. 

As Alabama’s season comes to a close, the question of what Simpson does next will loom large. Whether he returns for another year of development or decides to move on is a decision only he can make.

For now, the resume is mixed, the moments are real, and the future remains undecided.

Whether Ty Simpson comes back to Alabama or turns the page, time will tell.

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