Should Austin Mack or Keelon Russell be Alabama's 2026 Starting Quarterback?

Alabama football is holding its second scrimmage on Wednesday morning, and there's a chance that the Crimson Tide's biggest question of the offseason could be answered: who will be the starting quarterback?

The competition between Austin Mack and sophomore Keelon Russell has been among the top storylines in all of college football this offseason. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb stressed in the spring that the competition is "pretty even," and he reassured that was the case last week. Additionally, head coach Kalen DeBoer has previously said that a two-QB system is out of the question.

Scrimmages are a great way to decipher position battles, but after the first one of the fall, DeBoer didn't feel any closer to making a decision on who will be the Crimson Tide's starting quarterback. A second scrimmage like today's could do the trick.

So, who will win Alabama's 2026 quarterback battle? Here are three reasons for both Mack and Russell.

Austin Mack

Experience in the System

There is no one on the Crimson Tide's roster that knows more about DeBoer's system than Mack. Mack was one of the many Washington players to transfer to Alabama when DeBoer was hired in 2024, and now he's the only former Husky left. He never played during his lone year at Washington but began his development in 2023. It was Mack's first season of college football, as he enrolled a year early, meaning his development at this level started earlier than a large majority of players.

Additionally, among Alabama's offensive players, Mack is the most familiar with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who held that same title with the Huskies. Grubb acknowledged in the spring that experience plays an "important" role as far as "ease of being able to run and have control, that should be advantage Austin." But Grubb also shared at the time that Russell is "extremely intelligent" and the player who has the most "production" will win the job.

2025 Status

Alabama's 2025 quarterback battle lasted quite some time, and naturally, the three-man race had to be whittled down to two before making the final decision for the Week 1 job. Russell, who was a freshman, was the first one eliminated from the competition due to his lack of command in the huddle. Mack came in second behind starter and future first-round draft pick Ty Simpson.

Mack was Simpson's primary backup last season, and accumulated 228 passing yards and two touchdowns while completing 24 of 32 attempts in four games. He was the first quarterback to sub in for Simpson during blowouts, and that includes when Simpson "cracked" his rib late in the first half of the Rose Bowl loss to Indiana. Mack completed 11 of 16 pass attempts for 103 yards and led the Tide to its first and only points of the day.

Physical Traits

Mack is just about the prototype for a quarterback. He stands at 6-foot-6 and 237 pounds. He'd be the tallest and heaviest starting quarterback in Alabama history — beating 6-foot-5, 232-pound Jake Coker — if he wins the job.

Mack's measurements are nearly identical to fellow California native and 2024 NFL MVP Josh Allen. Mack is primarily a pocket passer, but like Allen, he has shown the ability to efficiently use his legs. He had a 13-yard rush against Indiana and a few more scrambles last season.

On top of the physical traits, Mack also displayed leadership. BamaCentral asked several players at Alabama Media Day if they could only vote for one captain, who would it be? Mack earned a vote from Wolf linebacker Yhonzae Pierre, who led the Crimson Tide in sacks and tackles for loss last season.

Keelon Russell

High School Prodigy

Russell appeared in two games last season during blowouts and completed 11 of 15 pass attempts for 143 yards and two touchdowns. His accolade as the 2025 Gatorade National High School Player of the Year has made him a fan favorite for this year's QB1 spot, as the college football world wants to see if that dominance will translate.

The quarterback from Duncanville, Texas, threw for 3,652 yards with a jaw-dropping 52 touchdowns and just two interceptions with a stellar 71.5 completion percentage during the 2024-25 season. Russell is the highest-rated prospect of the Kalen DeBoer era, as the former five-star was ranked as the No. 2 overall recruit in the class of 2025.

Dual-Threat Playmaker

Like most A-Day spring scrimmages, all eyes were on Alabama's 2026 quarterback battle on April 11. Simply put, Russell had the edge over Mack. Russell completed 21 of 33 pass attempts for 242 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. Mack went 6-for-12 for 101 yards, a touchdown and an interception. But as the numbers suggest, Russell had significantly more reps because Mack was "dinged up a little bit" prior to A-Day.

Russell's also a dual-threat who can use his legs and athleticism on any given snap. Alabama wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams described his tandem with Russell at A-Day as if "you're playing a video game when [Russell] is in."

As previously stated, Russell's lack of command of the huddle eliminated him from last year's quarterback battle, but he quickly fixed that this offseason. DeBoer said after a spring scrimmage that Russell is "almost to the point now where he doesn't have to think when he says [play calls]." In other words, he's clearly a fast learner and he's only continued to grow in this area during the summer and fall camp.

Future Investment (and Risk)

Mack is eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft, but the same is not said for Russell, who will first become eligible in 2028. Being able to develop Russell now on Saturdays against SEC opponents could give him the ceiling of being perhaps the No. 1 overall pick in 2028. Of course, Alabama isn't necessarily looking that far ahead, but having him as the starter for this year and the next could greatly increase its National Championship hopes compared to him only starting in the 2027-28 season.

With that in mind, should Mack play well enough to start all season long but decide not to enter the 2027 NFL Draft, things could get weird in Tuscaloosa. Russell told BamaCentral before the Rose Bowl that, "Whether it's Austin or me [in 2026], I feel like we're going to have the best opportunity for our offense." Russell said he's "Roll Tide all the way" even if he loses the job, but who would blame a high school prodigy like him for not wanting to sit for three years when a large majority of highly touted programs would hand him an empty check to start for them.

While there are many more reasons for both players to start, it comes down to this: would DeBoer rather have a higher floor in Mack or a higher ceiling in Russell?

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