SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: GEORGIA VS ALABAMA

December 1, 2025

Ty Simpson

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Alabama Crimson Tide

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We have Ty Simpson. We'll begin with questions.

Q. First big game with Ryan Grubb on the sideline. Eastern Illinois, as well. How is that experience for you? How did that help you?

TY SIMPSON: It was great. Like you said, the first time it was Eastern Illinois, so it was a little different.

I think it really gives not just me but our whole offense in general a sense of confidence for him to be up and down on the sideline, talking to us, telling us what he sees, giving us some boost of confidence, words of encouragement. Kind of brings the whole guys in the unit together.

He sees things as well that you can't see from the box, demeanor and things like that. We've really enjoyed it so far.

Q. What is something that you want to make sure you do again against Georgia and something you want to improve from the first matchup?

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, right? I think just thinking about the game the first time, we were really good on third down. I think we were like 7-7 at one point. I think that's what sets us apart and helped us out in the game.

One, being able to convert on third down. Two, I think goes back to being good on second down, as well. I think last game we were not good on second down, that's why we weren't good on third downs because we had a lot of third-and-longs.

We have to have efficient plays, stay positive in the yardage, kind of take each play as it is.

Q. What did you see from the running backs on Saturday, especially when Jam went down? How big has Daniel Hill been for you guys?

TY SIMPSON: The whole room in general has been big, right? Jam definitely is the leader of that group, is the core. Guys like Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley, AK Dear, Richard Young, Jay Washington, all those guys stepping up and coming up big when we need them most, right? Everyone was questioning our run game. We come out and run for over a hundred yards on the best rush defense in the SEC, right? Just really, really credit to those guys.

I know playing running back's hard, get hit every play, ask them to run, block and catch. Being able to do all three like those guys can is really important for us.

Q. Now that you have a chance to watch the film from Saturday, how would you assess your own performance against Auburn?

TY SIMPSON: Right? Love to clean up some stuff, just like anybody would. I need to be better in post-snap recognition, be better just in general of drifting in the pocket. I thought there were some good plays that were made and some plays that you can learn from.

That's all every game is, right? It's different experiences each and every time. That's all I can ask for. I know this game coming up is going to be different than the last time we played Georgia at their place.

I'm just learning and trying to be the best I can be.

Q. What do you remember about opposing Ellis Robinson a couple months ago? What have you noticed about his growth?

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, funny story about Ellis, right? Tyler Booker, who is my best friend, used to go here, first-round draft pick. Ellis, who is from New Haven, Connecticut, where Booker is from, went to IMG where Booker went. Came up here on visits a lot of times with recruits. Would hang out with me and Booker.

I know Ellis pretty well. I know he's a good player. Seeing how fast and long he is, really good play-maker on the ball, can go up and get it. I saw this last pick that he had against Georgia Tech. Just all around really, really good ballplayer. Reminds me a lot of Kool-Aid when he was here, the other big-time DBs that we've had. I mean, just very, very impressed with how far he's come as a player.

Q. What do you remember about those visits?

TY SIMPSON: He was a little young kid. I just remember us going to eat, Booker being like this is my young bull. It was like a little brother type thing to Booker. Come to find out he's a starting DB at Georgia and a really, really good player.

Full circle moment, for sure. Makes me feel old (smiling).

Q. Ty, I assume you're watching film from the Georgia game a couple months ago. As you watch yourself, how much do you realize or do you kind of sense you've grown with more game reps? What's the biggest point of growth that you see in your game?

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, right? I think it goes back all the way to Florida State to now. One, just the way that I prepare and go through everything, right? I kind of know what to expect through a game week and a game day.

Two, it goes back to, okay, how is my mindset going into the game? Was I worried about this or that? Was I thinking about a certain type of thing too much? Was I just playing free?

The third thing is just being disciplined and just playing underneath myself. That comes with, like I said, learning and new experiences, just reps and time, right?

I look back at the Auburn game, think about all the pressure that they brought on third down and stuff, think about times in games to where I didn't pick that up and I had a negative play.

It's just instances like that and situations like that to where, right, reps and just keep on putting them in your memory bank, right? Everything that you go through, everything that you experience is just another thing that you can learn from and know what to do.

That's why I'm just appreciative of the growth in my journey of being here.

Q. Same opponent, different stage. What's been the message as you see the same opponent but on a bigger stage?

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, right? This is the SEC Championship, right? This wasn't something that a committee picked or whoever picked, right? We earned this. We went through a tough schedule to get to this position. But we also got to understand that this isn't the same team that we played a couple months ago, right?

They've found a new identity. They've got it rolling. We got to go in and understand that our mindset doesn't need to change, that this is going to be a heavyweight fight.

Last year, last time we played 'em, none of that means anything, right? They're going to have a chip on their shoulder and something to prove. We know what's at stake. This is why you come to Alabama, what you dream about as a kid, playing in the SEC Championship. That's what we need to make sure that we kind of see it like that.

Q. How are you feeling at this point in the season physically? Looked like you took a couple big hits in the Iron Bowl.

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, got to love getting hit, right (laughter)?

Everybody at this point of the season, everybody is sore. I feel great. I'm ready to roll. What a great opportunity. So fired up to play in a game like this and so blessed.

Our message to the offense is what a great opportunity. We need to go get it, you know? Our message as a team is pretty much just it's all about us, right? It's about nobody else, it's all about what we do, how we go throughout practice, how we go through meetings, how our mindset is.

That's what it's been all season of just how we do everything, how we do anything. It starts with our head coach and it goes down to everybody.

Our message is all about us. It's all about what we do and nobody else.

Q. Could you talk about what that balance is like as you try to balance being an athlete as well as a full-time student?

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, it's definitely a challenge, for sure, just because as much time and effort you want to put into football, you came to college to get a degree and you're here for a bigger reason.

All the times that I want to stay longer in the facility and longer watching film, I may have to cut that short and go do some homework, right? It's all about planning and all about having a weekly schedule.

Today, like Monday, our off day, I try to get all my homework and schoolwork done just so I can go through the week and have my mind on the game.

Q. Y'all have finals starting on Monday. With this week leading up to a huge game, when are you going to find the time to study?

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, so we're a morning team, right, practice team. We'll practice in the morning and get everything done at that time. I try to block out that time for football and then carve out at least an hour and a half to study towards the back end of the day, whether it's before meetings or at night after meetings and I go to bed.

The biggest thing is just planning, just having a routine and making sure that even though your routine might get changed, you're still disciplined in everything that you do.

THE MODERATOR: That's all the time for today, Ty. Thank you.

TY SIMPSON: Thank you.