Austin Mack and Keelon Russell Complete First Scrimmage With A-Day Looming

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — As Alabama football eclipses the halfway point of the spring practice window, we are no closer to knowing who the starting quarterback will be this fall.

That is not much of a surprise, as the expectation coming in was that A-Day would be the earliest that either Keelon Russell or Austin Mack would provide any substantive tape. The Crimson Tide is now seven practices into the spring and just completed its first scrimmage on Friday morning, where both quarterbacks looked solid.

"I love the aggressiveness that they have," head coach Kalen DeBoer said. "They're not gun-shy. They go and make plays attacking whenever they can get the right opportunities with the throws, and they're making the throws. And the guys are coming through and making the plays for them and catches."

DeBoer's overall outlook on the scrimmage was positive. With so many new pieces on both sides of the ball, there was a lot that needed to come together for this roster to be able to play real football for the first time. One of the biggest questions has been about the quarterbacks' respective abilities to work with an almost entirely new offensive line.

"I think they're gaining more confidence in the offensive line each and every day," DeBoer said. "That's going to take time. We know there are a lot of faces up front, but they are clear with their communication."

DeBoer also, half-jokingly, said that true freshmen Jett Thomalla and Tayden Kaawa have looked good thus far, but the battle obviously comes down to Mack and Russell. Ty Simpson has been in Tuscaloosa this week for Pro Day and pre-draft workouts, and has talked to the pair about the leadership they need to bring to the team.

"Whoever plays is going to be so good that they’re going to lead the team the right way," Simpson said. "So, be yourself, enjoy it, and be the best teammate that you can be. Everybody cares about being a good player, but everybody is going to remember you being a great teammate.”

There will almost certainly not be a starter named until the summer, but A-Day will provide an opportunity for the pair to show what they did in the closed scrimmage in front of tens of thousands of fans. DeBoer believes the growth they've experienced so far this spring will set both Mack and Russell up for success on April 11.

"There's not a lot that's catching them off guard," DeBoer said. "So they can go out and let their skills speak for themselves and make the plays."

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