Alabama’s football program has named Keelon Russell as its starter for the 2026 season, ending a tightly contested quarterback battle that dominated the Crimson Tide’s offseason.
The decision followed a series of scrimmages in which Russell consistently outperformed Austin Mack, the other leading candidate, and impressed coaches with his poise under pressure.
The Competition Unfolds
Russell, a sophomore from Duncanville, Texas, entered the program as the Gatorade National Player of the Year after a record‑setting high school season.
During the 2024‑25 campaign he threw for 3,652 yards, 52 touchdowns and only two interceptions, completing 71.5% of his passes, a performance that earned him the No. 2 ranking among 2025 recruits from head coach Kalen DeBoer.
Coach DeBoer had initially said both Russell and Mack could start after the second fall scrimmage on Aug. 20, but the final evaluation favored Russell, who had shown marked improvement in huddle command by the end of the preseason.
The breakthrough came in the A‑Day spring scrimmage on April 11, where Russell completed more passes and scored multiple touchdowns while Mack was sidelined by injury, further cementing his lead.
With Russell at the helm, Alabama hopes to build on recent successes, leveraging the quarterback’s strong arm, accuracy and the experience he brings from Texas high school football.