Austin Mack And Keelon Russell Compete For Alabama’s Quarterback Job

Aug 19, 2026 05:00 PM - 1 hour ago 1

During Nick Saban’s last 16 seasons arsenic Alabama’s shot coach, the Crimson Tide ne'er lost much than 3 games successful a play and had zero aliases 1 nonaccomplishment 8 times. Saban led the programme to six nationalist titles earlier retiring successful early 2024. But Alabama has mislaid 4 games successful each of coach Kalen DeBoer’s first years.

This season, the squad has a much manageable schedule, though it has yet to sanction a starting quarterback, arsenic Austin Mack and Keelon Russell are competing for the role. The determination could find whether the Crimson Tide advances past the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff for the first clip since DeBoer arrived.

On Monday, violative coordinator Ryan Grubb told reporters that Alabama was “close” to making a backmost prime and said he would apt make the announcement by adjacent week. The Crimson Tide opens the play connected Sept. 5 against East Carolina.

Each of the 12 teams ranked supra No. 13 Alabama successful the preseason Associated Press canvass person named a starting quarterback. Many person returning starters, including the apical 5 teams: Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas. But that’s not the lawsuit pinch Alabama.

While Mack and Russell do not person overmuch acquisition successful college, they were each apical recruits coming retired of precocious school. Mack was the No. 73 subordinate successful the precocious schoolhouse people of 2023, per 247Sports, while Russell was No. 2 wide successful the precocious schoolhouse people of 2025.

Mack spent his first assemblage play astatine Washington, wherever he redshirted and played nether DeBoer, who led the Huskies to the CFP nationalist title game, losing to Michigan. When DeBoer took the Alabama job, Mack followed him.

Still, Mack has been a backup the past 2 seasons, first to Jalen Milroe successful 2024 and past to Ty Simpson past year. Mack has played sparingly, only appearing successful 5 games, completing 26 of 35 passes for 267 yards and 3 touchdowns pinch nary interceptions.

Mack saw astir of his action past play successful blowouts, including going 8 of 10 for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns successful a 73-0 triumph complete Louisiana-Monroe, completing each 5 of his passes for 45 yards successful a 56-0 triumph complete Eastern Illinois and going 11 of 16 for 103 yards successful the 2nd half of a 38-3 nonaccomplishment to Indiana successful the CFP quarterfinals connected New Year’s Day astatine the Rose Bowl. Mack entered the IU crippled successful the 3rd 4th erstwhile Alabama already trailed 24-0. He led the Crimson Tide’s last 3 drives and was sacked 3 times.

Russell, meanwhile, has moreover little experience. He appeared successful 2 games past play arsenic a existent freshman, going 4 of 6 for 65 yards and 2 touchdowns against Louisiana-Monroe and 7 of 9 for 78 yards against Eastern Illinois.

Although Simpson had a twelvemonth of eligibility remaining, he entered the NFL draught aft completing 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and 5 interceptions successful his lone play arsenic starter. The Los Angeles Rams selected pinch the 13th wide prime successful April’s draft.

Simpson was eighth successful the federation pinch 305 completions and seventh pinch 473 passing attempts, which was a departure from the erstwhile play erstwhile Milroe was much of a moving threat and had 20 rushing touchdowns.

As Washington’s coach successful 2022 and 2023, DeBoer had a pass-first backmost successful Michael Penix Jr., who is now pinch the Atlanta Falcons. In 2022, Penix Jr. ranked 4th successful the federation successful walk attempts (554) and completions (362) and 2nd successful passing yards (4,641). A twelvemonth later, he led the federation successful walk attempts (555) and passing yards (4,903) and vanished 2nd successful completions (363) and 3rd pinch 36 touchdown passes. Penix Jr. was 2nd successful the Heisman Trophy voting successful 2023 and helped the Huskies to the nationalist title game.

While Russell and Mack are improbable to put up akin numbers arsenic Penix Jr. did successful college, whoever wins the starting occupation needs to play astatine a precocious level if Alabama wants to compete successful a loaded Southeastern Conference that features knowledgeable quarterbacks specified arsenic Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss), Arch Manning (Texas), Sam Leavitt (LSU), Gunner Stockton (Georgia), Marcel Reed (Texas A&M), John Mateer (Oklahoma) and LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina).

Alabama’s No. 13 ranking successful the AP preseason canvass is seventh among SEC programs and its worst preseason ranking since 2008 erstwhile the Crimson Tide were 24th successful Saban’s 2nd season. From 2009 done 2024, Alabama was apical 5 successful the AP canvass earlier each season. The Crimson Tide was eighth successful the 2025 preseason poll.

This season, Alabama doesn’t look a classed force successful its first 5 games earlier hosting No. 3 Georgia connected Oct. 10. The Crimson Tide past travels to No. 20 Tennessee the adjacent week, hosts No. 8 Texas A&M connected Oct. 24 and plays astatine No. 11 LSU connected Nov. 7 earlier finishing the play pinch 3 games against unranked teams.

For SEC standards, it is simply a reasonable schedule, though immoderate of the teams that are not classed could look arsenic contenders. And pinch an unproven quarterback, Alabama could person immoderate early play challenges. Still, DeBoer and Grubb person known each different for years and developed quarterbacks together. Their prime of starter could thief find whether Alabama returns to nationalist title contention.