How Alabama’s Offensive Woes Against LSU Could Be the Secret Weapon for Ty Simpson’s Rise

Alabama’s latest showdown with LSU left a lot more on the table than just a 20-9 victory. Ty Simpson, the Crimson Tide’s quarterback, didn’t sugarcoat a thing—his offense floundered, falling way short of the lofty standards expected at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The running game was all but shut down with a meager 56 yards on 26 tries, forcing Simpson to shoulder the passing load, tossing for 277 yards and a touchdown while connecting on 21 of 35 attempts. Yet, what’s really striking here is Simpson’s candid self-assessment after the game: while the offensive shortcomings were glaring and “unacceptable,” this rough patch might just be the wake-up call Alabama needs. His promise? To fix what’s broken—starting with himself and the ground attack—in a way that could make the Crimson Tide’s offense sharp and relentless once again. The next big test looms when Alabama hosts Oklahoma on November 15, and with Simpson’s guarantee ringing loud, you know they’re gearing up for something special. LEARN MORE

Alabama football quarterback Ty Simpson didn’t beat around the bush. Yes, the Crimson Tide offense struggled mightily in Alabama’s 20-9 win. against LSU. And yes, it was unacceptable.

“I’m going to be brutally honest. That’s not up to our standard,” Simpson said. “Everybody knows that. Offense knows that. That’s why we have a good defense.”

Alabama struggled to run the ball, generating 56 yards on 26 carries. Simpson had to do the heavy lifting in the pass game with 277 yards and a score, but completing 21 of his 35 pass attempts.

But as Simpson reflected postgame, he viewed Alabama’s offensive struggles as, yes, unacceptable, but, ultimately, “good.”

“This one is good for us because we need to tell the truth and look in the mirror,” Simpson said. “Like, ‘Offense, we need to pick it up.’ Like it’s plain and simple, how it is. Starts with me. Starts with our run game.”

And before he left his press conference, just like he did after Alabama’s season-opening loss to Florida State, Simpson issued a guarantee.

“We’re going to get it right,” Simpson said. “This week of practice, it’s going to be a great week, I promise you that.”

Alabama will take on Oklahoma at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Nov. 15 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at[email protected] or follow him@_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.