TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alabama didn't need to turn to the transfer portal or the recruiting trail to find a replacement for potential first-round draft pick Ty Simpson.
The Crimson Tide had two options waiting for a shot.
Austin Mack and Keelon Russell, the two guys Simpson beat out to start last fall, have spent spring practice vying for the job. Coach Kalen DeBoer has declined to offer much detail on any separation, but the team's annual spring game Saturday could provide a glimpse into the competition.
“Getting a lot of good reps,” DeBoer said. ”I love the aggressiveness that they have. They're not gun shy. They go and make plays, attacking whenever they get the right opportunities with the throws. And they're making the throws."
Replacing Simpson, who threw for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns while leading Alabama to the College Football Playoff, is one of many offensive changes for the Tide in 2026.
DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb are trying to replace eight starters on that side of the ball. The list includes Simpson, four offensive linemen, receiver Germie Bernard, tight end Josh Cuevas and running back Jam Miller.
Alabama also made a change at quarterbacks coach, with tight ends coach Bryan Ellis getting elevated to replace Nick Sheridan, who was hired as offensive coordinator at Michigan State.
But Ryan Coleman-Williams is back with a new number and should provide a go-to target for whoever ends up taking snaps in the season opener against East Carolina on Sept. 5.
“The guys are coming through, making plays and catches for them," DeBoer said. "I think they’re gaining more confidence in the offensive line each and every day. That’s going to take time; there’s a lot of (new) faces up front. ... They’re clear with their communication. There’s not a lot that’s catching them off guard, so they can go out and let their skills speak for themselves and make the plays.”
Mack, a redshirt junior, followed DeBoer from Washington in 2024. The 6-foot-6 Californian appeared in four games last season, completing 24 of 32 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns.
His most notable appearance came when he filled in for Simpson in a loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl. Mack completed 11 of 16 passes for 103 yards and led the Tide to its only score in the 38-3 drubbing.
Russell, a redshirt freshman, is the highest-rated recruit to sign with Alabama in the modern era, according to 247 Sports. The 6-foot-3 Texan appeared in two games in 2025 — against Louisiana-Monroe and Eastern Illinois — and completed 11 of 15 passes for 143 yards and two scores.
“One of the biggest things this year was to get smarter,” Russell said during Rose Bowl preparations. “Understanding the offense, just building my confidence level. I feel like I’ve grown, developed and feel like I’m becoming more of an NFL-ready quarterback.”
The Tide would settle for finding a college-ready guy, the next in line at a place that's enjoyed Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, Bryce Young, Jalen Milroe and Simpson over the last decade.
“Obviously, Keelon is a really, really good athlete,” Grubb said. “I think his feet probably come into play. I think you saw it in the Rose Bowl, obviously Austin can run a little bit. ... It’s not like Austin can’t run, but there is a piece of athleticism there with Keelon that’s different from some guys.
“As far as arm talent, they’re both supremely talented as far as pushing the ball all over the field. There’s not going to be a throw I have in the game plan that I have for one but couldn’t do with the other. Both have quick releases. Accuracy is something they’re both working on. But very similar guys. I don’t think other than Keelon’s feet, there’s a massive difference, other than size.”
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
FILE - Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer talks with visitors during Alabama's NFL football pro day, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)
FILE - Indiana defensive back Devan Boykin, right, sacks Alabama quarterback Austin Mack during the second half of the Rose Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
FILE - Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell (12) warms up before the first round of an NCAA College Football Playoff against Oklahoma, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams, File)
LONDON (AP) — Temperature records toppled as a spring heat wave continued to scorch parts of Western Europe on Tuesday, triggering government warnings about risks to life. Several drownings were reported in Britain and France as people tried to cool down.
London recorded a rare “tropical night,” defined as one in which the temperature does not fall below 20 Celsius (68 Fahrenheit), and Britain’s Met Office weather service said the temperature in southern England could reach 35 C (95 F) on Tuesday.
Monday was the U.K.’s hottest May day on record, with the temperature hitting 34.8 C (94.6 F) at Kew Gardens in London, smashing the previous record of 32.8 C (91.4 F) set in 1922 and 1944. Records also fell in France, where temperatures reached 36 C (97 F) on Monday in the country's southwest and widely remained above 20 C (68 F) at night.
The national weather service, Météo-France, said a “heat dome,” with heat held in place by a high-pressure weather front, was producing temperatures more than 10 degrees Celsius above what used to be usual for this time of year.
Unpredictable and extreme weather are becoming more frequent as Earth’s warming builds. Experts say unprecedented and deadly weather extremes that sometimes strike at abnormal times and in unusual places are putting more people in danger.
After a U.K. long weekend that sent people flocking to beaches, pools and shady parks, London commuters sweltered on Tuesday in subway carriages without air conditioning. Trains to and from the busy Waterloo station were disrupted by a report of smoke on the tracks.
In Scotland, firefighters worked through the night to douse a grass fire that sent smoke billowing from Arthur’s Seat, the rocky hill that looms over Edinburgh.
The U.K. Health Security Agency issued an amber health alert for large parts of the country through Thursday, warning of a potential health risk, particularly among older people, at the hottest times of the day. The U.K. is used to moderate temperatures, and many homes, schools and businesses do not have air conditioning.
At least three teenagers died in apparent drownings in U.K. lakes and reservoirs, and a 60-year-old man died in the sea in southwest England, authorities said.
French government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said there have been reports of at least seven deaths potentially related to high temperatures, including five drownings and two deaths in sports competitions.
The early heat wave has struck before the annual summer window when lifeguards watch over bathers at popular beaches, increasing risks.
On France’s Atlantic seaboard, where magnificent beaches have powerful riptides, officials reported a rash of emergencies in the surf, with two drowning deaths on Sunday at popular resorts in the Gironde region in the southwest.
The top regional administrator, Sophie Brocas, urged beachgoers “to exercise the utmost caution.”
The unseasonable heat extended to Spain, where weather service spokesperson Rubén del Campo said "we find ourselves with temperatures we normally see in the middle of the summer now in the month of May.”
He said Seville hit 38 C (100 F) over the weekend, while large parts of the peninsula saw temperatures 5 to 10 degrees Celsius higher than normal.
And in Rome, temperatures were expected to reach 32 degrees C (89.6 F) on Tuesday.
Associated Press writers John Leicester in Paris and Joseph Wilson in Barcelona contributed to this report.
People visit Bournemouth beach, south England, Monday May 25, 2026. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)
A woman shelters from the sun with a city guide in downtown Rome as temperatures are expected to reach 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit), Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
A woman drinks water from a frozen bottle in downtown Rome as temperatures are expected to reach 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit), Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
A man drinks water at a fountain in downtown Rome as temperatures are expected to reach 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit), Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
People enjoying the warm weather on Sunny Sands beach in Folkestone, England, Saturday May 23, 2026. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)
A speed boat passes by the Conciergerie along the Seine River during a sunny day in Paris, Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
People seek relief from the heat along the Seine River in Paris, Monday, May 25, 2026. Artwork by street artist JR is seen on the Pont Neuf in the background. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
A man cools down with a bottle of water during the hot weather on Westminster Bridge, central London, England, Monday, May 25, 2026. (James Manning/PA via AP)
People visit Bournemouth beach, south England, Monday May 25, 2026. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)
