The 'Good Problem' Alabama QB Keelon Russell is Building on this Spring

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — "I think the command in the huddle, your two guys that have been around the offense the longest, Ty and Austin, when they get in the huddle and they've got to rattle off the play, they're sharp and confident with it."

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. The quote above is from Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer from last August, as Keelon Russell was that third horse partly due to his lack of a command in the huddle.

Russell was a true freshman at the time, while eventual starter Ty Simpson was a redshirt junior and Austin Mack was a redshirt sophomore. These two had the experience of relaying a call in the huddle at the college level, while Russell did not.

Fast forward to 2026, following the departure of Simpson to the NFL Draft, the quarterback competition is now a two-man race between Russell and Mack. Even though he didn't see much time on the field Russell has a year under his belt. That said, how was his command of the huddle during Friday's scrimmage in Bryant-Denny Stadium?

"Yeah, I tried to put my nose in there and just hear exactly that as much as I can, whether it's today or throughout the week," DeBoer said on Friday. "He's almost to the point now where he doesn't have to think when he says it.

"And now he's got to slow down to make sure everyone is very clear, which is a good problem to have, right? You know, just being articulate and not rattling through the calls, which at one point he might mess up the call. It's not perfect yet, because there's new installed plays that he's just had first reps."

Nevertheless, Mack and Russell are both very young. Russell will turn 19 in three weeks, while Mack will be 20 in June. DeBoer acknowledged that despite Mack having more experience, like Russell, he's also not 100 percent acclimated when it comes to commanding the huddle. But they are both making a ton of progress with roughly 150 days until the season opener.

"There's some new stuff [Mack] hasn't called as much either or at all," DeBoer said. "They're picturing it in their head, and that's what I like to see is that they can rattle off. As far as the command with the players, I think both of them step in the huddle and if there's chatter in there and they need eyes up on them, they'll say it and the guys all respond.

"So there's a lot of respect that the team has for them. And obviously the offensive guys, when they're in that moment, they have to do exactly that."

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