Alabama on pace to be set at quarterback for many seasons to come

Sep 6, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell (12) drops back to pass against UL Monroe at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated UL Monroe 73-0. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

Since legendary former Alabama head coach Nick Saban’s last season, which came during the 2023 campaign, the quality of play at quarterback at the University of Alabama has become quite controversial and debatable.

Most recently, fans of the Crimson Tide witnessed a season in which the offense was led by quarterback Ty Simpson, who played at a Heisman-worthy level for the first half of the season before playing through an injury during the latter half, which led to a drop in his performance over the last few games, even though the Tide still made the quarterfinals of the playoffs.

Overall, Simpson’s play was still great when compared to the play from other quarterbacks around the country. But many Alabama fans were still left unsatisfied, which is justifiable, to an extent. The issue, however, simply lies in the fact that fans want to get back to what they’re used to: Heisman-level quarterback play and national championship appearances.

Well, considering how head coach Kalen DeBoer has recruited the quarterback position, the Crimson Tide may already be set for success for many seasons to come, considering the talent the Tide currently holds and what it will hold in the future.

Right now, Alabama sits with two major names ready to fight for the starting job: Austin Mack and Keelon Russell, both of whom hold plenty of talent and could easily make a case to be listed as the No. 1 quarterback on the depth chart.

Mack is the more experienced quarterback, as he’ll be entering the 2026 season as a redshirt junior. The California native originally committed to Washington for the 2023 season, when DeBoer was leading the Huskies.

When his head coach announced he’d be making the move to Tuscaloosa, Mack decided to follow his head coach, committing to the Crimson Tide out of the transfer portal. He would only make one appearance during the 2024 season.

However, when the 2025 campaign began, Mack had the chance to see the field in four games, including the second half of the College Football Playoff game against Indiana in place of an injured Simpson.

Through the four appearances, Mack threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns while displaying his mobile ability and lethal accuracy. Although his playing time was minimal, he showcased why he could be the next great quarterback for the Tide.

But alongside Mack, the Crimson Tide also has Russell as an option. The former five-star and redshirt freshman still has four years of eligibility left, meaning whether it’s this season or further down the road, his time will come.

As one of the best quarterbacks in his class out of high school, he committed to SMU early on, before the Tide made a heavy push to secure the signal-caller. He also secured the title of MVP of the Elite 11 quarterback competition during his senior year.

Russell did get the opportunity to see the field in two games last season, which he made the most of by passing 11-15 for 143 yards and two touchdowns. Similar to Mack, he holds a great ability to improvise and make the most of a bad situation.

Mack and Russell both hold talent that could earn them the starting job, so it will be a tough battle between the two leading up to the season. But no matter what, Alabama will be set for the near future, considering the combined eligibility of the two.

But the Crimson Tide isn’t just set for potentially the next two to four years; it’s set for success even further down the line. Behind Russell and Mack, the Tide has two new quarterbacks incoming in Jett Thomalla and Tayden Kaawa.

Thomalla is rated as one of the best quarterbacks in the class, coming out of Nebraska. He was heavily recruited by the Cornhuskers and Iowa State, but ultimately decided to take his talents to the SEC.

After winning back-to-back state titles, he’s set to be a great addition alongside Kaawa, the Hawaii native hailing from Utah, who also won the state championship in his senior year. The three-star quarterback chose the Tide over BYU and Boise State.

Both quarterbacks will bring in tons of talent to an already high-quality quarterback room. Kaawa will likely have a few more things to work on than Thomalla, but both will provide qualities that will benefit the Tide in the long run.

Looking even further down the road, to the class of 2027, Alabama is already honing in on two quarterbacks. The first is an in-state four-star prospect, Trent Seaborn, who’s already committed to the Crimson Tide.

The three-time Class 7A state champion and four-star prospect committed to Alabama in October, but has still been heavily targeted by other schools. However, he has recently reaffirmed his commitment and is still set for multiple visits soon.

That’s still not all for the Tide, though; Alabama is also targeting and seems to be the early favorite for the top quarterback in the class in Elijah Haven. The five-star out of Baton Rouge has visited Tuscaloosa five times, more than any other school.

If the Crimson Tide were also able to land a second quarterback in the class, something Seaborn has said he welcomes, then the Tide would be in an amazing long-term position with plenty of talent competing in one room.

Although turnover is likely, Alabama will still be in a highly favorable position for the seasons to come. With as much talent as there will be in Tuscaloosa, fans of the Tide may finally get the Heisman-level play at quarterback they’ve been missing.