In an ocean of bad news for the University of Alabama football program, something positive happened on Thursday.
Kalen DeBoer, the Crimson Tide’s new head coach, landed a player from the NCAA transfer portal. Austin Mack, a former quarterback at the University of Washington, committed to the Crimson Tide. Mack, a former four-star, is from Loomis (Calif.) and is an alumnus of Folsom High School. The 6-foot-6, 226-pounder graduated high school a year earlier to join Washington’s roster. He led Folsom High to a 12-2 record as a junior in 2022, guiding it to the CIF Sac-Joaquin Division I Championship.
RELATED: BREAKING: Alabama lands Washington 6-foot-6 transfer QB Austin Mack
Mack totaled 3,498 passing yards and 40 touchdowns to five interceptions in his junior season.
Brock Huard, a native of Seattle, Wash., was a quarterback for the Washington (1995-98), had two stints with the Seattle Seahawks, and is now a football analyst/commentator. He was on The Next Round Show on Friday and is very impressed with Mack as a player and person. Huard said Mack’s presence is ‘enormous’ and that Alabama fans should love him.
“I know Alabama fans are freaking out because Julian [Sayin] is an immensely talented kid.
I promise you, when you see him throw, when you see Austin Mack in person, when he walks in the room, his presence is enormous.
He’s bright, he’s smart, and the Husky staff loved him.”… pic.twitter.com/MfYVYxU7i9
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) January 19, 2024
“Austin Mack is a unique, unique dude,” Huard said.
“He is a big guy. He is about as big a quarterback I have ever come across at his age and stage. I don’t think people understand, he played high school football at 15 and 16 when my five-star nephew, Sam, transferred out of Washington, he early enrolled. He turned 17 in the fall. He is gigantic. He is 6-6 plus, I think over 240 pounds, and about size 17 feet. I think people also don’t realize Dillon Morris had an injury and Austin took the second-team reps for the majority of the second half of the season. If something happens significantly to Michael Penix, a 17-year-old was going to be the quarterback for this undefeated team. That 17-year-old was Austin Mack. It does not surprise me in this crazy world that Julian [Sayin’] is in the transfer portal because he can read the room. I know Alabama fans are freaking out because Julian is an immensely talented kid, but I promise you when you see this guy throw, when you see Austin Mack in person, when he walks into the room … His presence is enormous. He is bright, he is smart. The Huskies staff loved him. I was bummed more than any other player that went into the portal was Austin Mack, and I was not surprised he ended up in Tuscaloosa. He is immensely gifted, they believe in him, and he has a massive, massive upside.”
Strong praises coming from Huard about Mack.
Alabama has a marquee quarterback room for spring practice with Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson, Dylan Lonergan, and Mack.
We are about to see soon who gives DeBoer and Ryan Grubb the best chance to be explosive and win games.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
