Alabama football didn’t shake up its quarterback room at all after the spring.

No one left, and no one was added. The Crimson Tide maintained the group of Ty Simpson, Austin Mack and Keelon Russell.

On Wednesday at SEC Media Days, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer was asked why Alabama did not pursue a quarterback in the portal.

“Just felt like anyone who was reaching out to us, or that was there, you could not really make the argument they were better than what we had,” DeBoer said. “Hopefully, another level of confidence we had some players in our program that we believe in, Ty, Austin and knowing Keelon was coming in too. The skillsets are there.”

DeBoer noted Alabama’s quarterback room is inexperienced, “and that’s probably what you would be gaining if you brought someone in, would be some experience.”

But there’s more to it than experience.

“There’s also growth to our offense,” DeBoer said. “There’s also a level of understanding. It’s just a matter of honing in on the skillsets and tools that our guys have. I still feel we made the right choice.”

Simpson is heading into his fourth season with Alabama and second with DeBoer. Mack is entering his second season with Alabama and third with DeBoer. Russell is a true freshman.

Simpson enters preseason practices as the frontrunner to be the starter. If he indeed starts, Simpson will complete the arc of waiting his turn then taking advantage.

“It adds to and sets the direction you want your culture to be, and that’s, if I just continue to stay the course and I continue to just believe in the development I’m going to get from our coaching staff, that time will come,” DeBoer said. “Ty is the greatest example of that … just stay the course. Keep plugging away.”

All of those things considered, Alabama decided to stick with Simpson, Russell and Mack. And those are the three the Crimson Tide will bring into the season.

“A lot of feelings that we had what we needed or the better way to put it is,” DeBoer said, “what we felt was out there really wasn’t that much better than what we had, if at all.”

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.