The quarterback battle in Tuscaloosa is officially over.
Keelon Russell will be Alabama’s starting quarterback when the Crimson Tide open the 2026 season against East Carolina on Sept. 5, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Russell beat out veteran Austin Mack after the two battled throughout the offseason and fall camp.
And Alabama is betting on upside.
Russell arrived in Tuscaloosa as one of the biggest recruits in the country, ranked as the No. 2 overall player and No. 2 quarterback in the 2025 class by 247Sports. After spending last season behind Ty Simpson, Russell appeared in limited action and completed 11 of 15 passes for 143 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions.
But the first major sign that Russell could win this job came during Alabama’s spring game.
Russell put on a show at A-Day, completing 21 of 33 passes for around 240 yards and four touchdowns, consistently flashing the arm talent and playmaking ability that made him such a highly regarded recruit.
Now Kalen DeBoer is officially giving him the keys.
It’s a huge decision for an Alabama team entering the season ranked No. 13 in the preseason AP Poll after finishing 11-4 last year. Simpson is gone after becoming a first-round NFL Draft pick, and Russell will now be asked to take over one of the most scrutinized positions in college football.
The talent has never really been the question.
Russell was a two-time state champion at Duncanville High School and became the 2024-25 Gatorade National Player of the Year before arriving at Alabama. He’s athletic, has plenty of arm talent and gives DeBoer’s offense a potentially dynamic playmaker at quarterback.
But now we get to see how quickly that potential translates when the games actually matter.
Alabama is officially Keelon Russell’s team.
And with the Crimson Tide trying to get back into the national championship picture, the former five-star won’t have much time to ease into the job.
