Trouble in paradise? Or, more accurately, trouble in a different euphemism to describe Tuscaloosa, Alabama?
Ty Simpson revealed that the coach who recruited him, Nick Saban, not only lied to him when he retired as the head coach in January 2024, but he also gave him a workload that wasn't cutting it during his first two years with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
"And we talked about it. And he said, 'I get it if you want to leave, but I know you and I know what you wanted in recruiting. If you want to create value for yourself and you want to be a first-round draft pick, this could be a great story for you. You could leave a legacy here.' I thought about it, prayed about it, and said, you know what? 'You're right,'" Simpson said on the Bussin' with the Boys podcast.
"And the next thing you know, he retires. I'm sitting there, and I'm like, he just lied to me."
Kalen DeBoer salvaged Ty Simpson after Nick Saban's coldness
Simpson was one of several recruits who were done dirty by Saban's retirement. Caleb Downs was so blindsided that he transferred away and found out that the grass is much greener with the Ohio State Buckeyes on a true championship material team.
Simpson, unlike Downs, stayed and ended up being rescued by Saban's disappointing successor, Kalen DeBoer. Simpson revealed that playing for DeBoer changed his view of wearing the Mullet "A."
"It was like a complete 180. Just got to play ball. It was free. It was offensive-minded and not defensive-minded. Honestly, it probably was better for my development in a sort of way, just because it wasn't -- honestly, because I could just play. The only reps that I got was some in a game, some in the South Florida game, but it was all defensive-minded reps. I had to prove to myself that I could actually play. I knew I could do it, whether it was in high school or practice, or during a game or a live-action scrimmage, I needed to prove to myself that I could," Simpson said.
"Coach DeBoer, that's all we did during the spring. 'Y'all just go play man. Just go do you.' Honestly, I took a huge step."
Who would've thought that Saban was holding a member of the Tide back? Even the head coaching G.O.A.T. had blind spots. clearly, with player-coach relationships.