Kalen DeBoer: 'It Wasn't Sharpest Day' for Alabama QBs in Second Spring Scrimmage

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama's 2026 quarterback battle may have taken a step back during Friday afternoon's scrimmage.

Redshirt junior Austin Mack and redshirt freshman Keelon Russell each made strides during the summer and in the early parts of the spring. Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said on March 12 that the competition is "pretty even," and DeBoer said that the split in reps on Friday reflected that.

"That was the goal," DeBoer said. "I'm not sure how it exactly ended. I know there was a [point] I caught where it was close and we're just trying to finish it out that way. But they've been splitting it. I would say today wasn't their sharpest day, and a lot of it is what we've been talking with offensive line."

The offensive line looks a lot different from last year, as Michael Carroll is the only returning starter, and after firing offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic, the Crimson Tide hired USC defensive analyst to take his place.

It'll take some time for Mack and Russell to gel with the front five, and it seems like that showed on Friday.

"Just getting in sync with guys, the reps that they've had a lot, maybe just even things that we have as part of our base offense that we've done now for two years here," DeBoer said. "You can see everyone being in sync and when you're playing with confidence, you'll rip it with confidence.

"This is some of the new stuff that maybe we haven't had until this year, or done as much of until this spring. You can see that we struggled with it."

While both Mack and Russell held their own against Ty Simpson before the 2025 season started, DeBoer and Grubb both mentioned multiple times that Mack had more of a "command" of the huddle than Russell, who was a true freshman at the time.

Mack was Simpson's primary backup during the season, and after the starter "cracked" his rib late in the first half of the Rose Bowl loss to Indiana, the QB2 subbed in and completed 11 of 16 pass attempts for 103 yards and led the Tide to its first and only points of the day via a field goal by Conor Talty.

Mack and Russell have plenty of time to improve, as the season opener isn't for over 150 days. DeBoer is not worried at all, and rightfully so.

"So, I'd say it wasn't up to the standard that they've had," DeBoer said. "But there's no doubt that if we had to play a game. There's some things they do really well that we're confident in that they can execute at a high level."

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