List of Alabama Crimson Tide starting quarterbacks


This is a list of every Alabama Crimson Tide football team quarterback and the years they participated on the Alabama Crimson Tide football team.
Alabama quarterbacks have played prominent roles in American society off the gridiron as well. Both Farley Moody and Charlie Joplin died while serving in the First World War.

Starting quarterbacks

1933 to present

The following players were the starting quarterbacks for the Crimson Tide each season since joining the Southeastern Conference in 1933.
NameSeason StartedNotabilityReferences
Ty Simpson2025
Jalen Milroe2022–2024As a redshirt freshman in 2022, Milroe got the start against Texas A&M in place of an injured Bryce Young. Milroe would throw three touchdown passes in the Tide's 24–20 win.
Tyler Buchner2023Buchner started one game in 2023 against [South 2014 Florida Gators football team|Florida Bulls football|South Florida] after a loss to Texas in the previous week led the team to bench Jalen Milroe. He was replaced by Ty Simpson before halftime, and did not appear in any other games before entering the transfer portal as a lacrosse player at the end of the season.
Bryce Young2021–2022As a sophomore in 2021, led the Tide to the SEC championship and a Cotton Bowl victory. Young became the first Alabama quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy.
2019–2020Mac Jones became the starting quarterback the week after Tua Tagovailoa suffered a season-ending injury against Southeastern Conference rival Mississippi State on November 16, 2019. Jones led Alabama to win the College Football National Championship in 2020. Jones broke Alabama's single-season passing yards record and broke the FBS single-season record for completion percentage.
2018–2019Tua Tagovailoa won critical acclaim for his 2nd half performance in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship where he led Alabama to a come-from-behind overtime win against the Georgia Bulldogs. Tagovailoa won the starting job in the 2018 off-season and started his first game on September 1 against the Louisville Cardinals
2016–2017Hurts was the first freshman to start at QB for Nick Saban. He led Alabama to the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship game, which Alabama lost to Clemson, 35–31. In the 2017 season, he led Alabama to the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship, where he was replaced during the game by Tua Tagovailoa.
Blake Barnett2016Barnett started the first game of the 2016 season against USC. He was replaced by Jalen Hurts, who became the starting quarterback. After limited playing time in the next few games, Barnett chose to leave the program and transfer to a junior college, and then to Arizona State where he was the backup QB behind Manny Wilkins. He was then the starting QB for the University of South Florida Bulls.
2015Bateman made his first career start at quarterback September 19, 2015
2015Coker led Alabama to the 2016 national championship, where they defeated Clemson, 45–40.
2014Sims was named starting quarterback just prior to their season opener against West Virginia after he won a prolonged competition against Jake Coker. Against Florida, Sims set a school record for total offense in a single game with his 484 yards that included 39 total yards rushing. Sims threw for 3,487 yards with 28 touchdowns. He also added 7 rushing touchdowns and 350 yards on the ground. He led the Tide to win the 2014 SEC Championship, in which he was the game's MVP.
2011–2013McCarron led the Crimson Tide to the 2011 and 2012 national championships and graduated as Alabama's career leader in passing yardage, completions and touchdowns. He also holds the record for passing touchdowns in a single season. He finished runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in the 2013 season. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2014 NFL draft.
2009–2010McElroy led the Crimson Tide to the 2009 national championship and was named ESPN Academic All-American of the Year for the 2010 season. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the 2011 NFL draft.
2006–2008Wilson graduated as the all-time leader in several categories that have since been eclipsed. He still holds the record for completions in a single-season. He went undrafted but played in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.
2002–2005Croyle graduated as the all-time leader in several categories that have since been eclipsed. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2006 NFL draft.
2004Guillon started a pair of games during the 2004 season after Brodie Croyle had a season-ending injury. He subsequently left the program in October 2006.
2003–2004He made his first career start October 4, 2003. Pennington started the final seven games of the 2004 season after injuries to both Brodie Croyle and Mark Guillon. He left the program in January 2005 to focus only on his baseball career with the Crimson Tide.
2003Avalos started against Southern Miss during the 2003 season due to injuries to both Brodie Croyle and Spencer Pennington. He left the program in January 2004.
1999–2002
1998–2001Led Alabama to a SEC Championship in 1999 and finished his career as the all time passing yards leader.
1998As a fifth year senior, Phillips started the first four games of the season before being replaced by Andrew Zow for the year.
1997
1995–1997
1993, 1995
1991–1994All-SEC. Barker led Alabama the 1992 national championship. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1995 NFL draft.
1991
1989–1990
1987–1988
1987–1989
1987–1988, 1984
1984–1986
1981–1983Lewis was the first black quarterback to start for the Crimson Tide and led Alabama during the final three seasons of the Bryant era.
1981
1981
1980
1979All-SEC. Shealy led the Crimson Tide to an undefeated season and the 1979 national championship.
1976–1978
1974–1975Todd was drafted by the New York Jets in the first round of the 1976 NFL draft.
1973Rutledge was the first of two brothers to lead a national championship team. He led Alabama to the 1973 national championship and his brother Jeff Rutledge led Alabama to the 1978 national championship.
1971–1972
1970
1968–1970
1966
1966–1967All-SEC. Super Bowl XI Champion. Pro Football Hall of Fame.
1962–1965
1962–1964All-SEC. Pro Football Hall of Fame. Super Bowl III Champion.
1959–1961
1958
1956–1957
1956
1953–1955Pro Football Hall of Fame. NFL 1960s All-Decade Team. Two-time Super Bowl Champion and MVP. At Alabama, he also played punter.
1951–1952
1948–1950
1949–1950
1948
1947
1945–1946
1944–1947All-SEC
1941–19421941 team won Cotton Bowl and national championship. 1942 team won Orange Bowl. Drafted by Detroit Lions after WWII service.
1939–1940
1937–1938
1936–1938Outfielder in Major League Baseball.
1936All-SEC
1934–1935All-SEC
1932–1934

1922 to 1932

The following players were the predominant quarterbacks for the Crimson Tide each season after the establishment of the Southern Conference until the establishment of the Southeastern Conference.
NameYears StartedNotabilityReferences
1930–1931A member of Wallace Wade's last national championship team in 1930.
1930–1931A member of Wallace Wade's last national championship team in 1930.
1929
1927–1928
1927
1925–1926Barnes was a member of the first southern team to win the Rose Bowl, playing then as a halfback. Major League Baseball player for the Washington Senators.
1924–1925Hubert is the first quarterback for the Crimson Tide to win a national championship. He was All-Southern, a member of the first southern team to win the Rose Bowl, and inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1964. Coach Wallace Wade called him "undoubtedly one of the greatest football players of all time."
1923–1924Gillis was the first quarterback under Wallace Wade, and so is the first quarterback for the Crimson Tide to win a conference championship, and the first to be selected composite All-Southern. He was later a Major League Baseball player.
1920–1922Bartlett led the Tide to a 9-7 upset win over coach John Heisman's Penn team in 1922, one of the first times the Tide received national coverage in the newspapers. He was selected to some All-Southern teams, and received Walter Camp's All-America Honorable Mention.

1895 to 1921

The following players were the predominant quarterbacks for the Crimson Tide each season after the establishment of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association until the establishment of the Southern Conference.
NameYears StartedNotabilityReferences
1921Major League Baseball player for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
William C. Baty1921
1920Captain of 1917 team.
1919Played in Major League Baseball as a catcher.
1917Was an All-Southern halfback in 1919 and 1920. Later coach at Bluefield.
1913; 1917
1916Creen ran in the touchdown to defeat Mississippi College 13 to 7. All-Southern. Walter Camp gave him All-America honorable mention. He transferred to Washington & Lee.
1914–1915
1912;1914Joplin was ruled ineligible because he refused to sign an affidavit stating that he had never played professional baseball. He was killed in the First World War.
1909–1912He made the field goal to beat Tulane 5 to 3 in 1910. Moody scored two touchdowns, including a 40-yard punt return, and added four extra points in the 24 to 0 win over Howard in 1911. He coached the 1915 team with athletic director B. L. Noojin after coach Kelley was hospitalized with typhoid fever. Moody was killed in the First World War.
1908–1910
1906–1907Nicknamed "Chick." Weighed just 120 pounds. Assistant coach for Bama c. 1913.
1905
1904
1902–1903Later a doctor in Lexington, Kentucky
1900–1901
1899
1897Transferred to the University of Virginia. Son of Birmingham philanthropist and New Market cadet Edward Magruder Tutwiler and relative of reformer Julia Tutwiler who is the namesake of Tutwiler Hall. One account reads "Ed Tutwiler is one of the greatest stars that football in the south ever produced. He was a graduate of the University in the class of '98, and afterwards went to the University of Virginia. He was considered the pluckiest quarterback in the south, and was noted for head work and generalship."
1895–1896Later a corporate lawyer.

1892 to 1894

The following players were the predominant quarterbacks for the Crimson Tide each season the team was a non-conference independent, following the birth of Alabama football.
NameYears StartedNotabilityReferences
1892–1894Later a distinguished judge in Birmingham