Ryan Coleman-Williams says it feels like “playing a video game” when this Alabama QB is in

Photo via Alabama Athletics

The story of Alabama football’s A-Day this year is that quarterback Keelon Russell looked like the guy he was recruited to be, and his performance on Saturday has injected the Alabama fanbase with a great deal of optimism while earning a big compliment from star wideout Ryan Coleman-Williams.

There’s a lot to break down about Russell’s performance on A-Day, but perhaps the part of his game that stood out the most is his ability to keep a play alive and find a pass catcher while on the run.

After the scrimmage, Coleman-Williams was asked if it is difficult for a receiver to know when to stay on when a guy like Russell is extending a play.

“That’s exactly what you want,” Coleman-Williams said. “I mean, you know, sometimes a play is going to be longer than what you expect, but it just feels like you’re playing a video game when 12’s in, so really just continuing to have fun. You never know what you’re going to get, and just be there. Be in the moment when you’re playing.

According to Coleman-Williams, he’s seen Russell grow as a leader and become more confident this year, and he said Russell’s command of the huddle is “light-years” better in 2026.

Stats were tracked but not provided to the media after A-Day, but unofficial numbers for quarterback stats were tallied up by some attending members of the media. Russell completed 20 of his 32 passes for 229 yards, four touchdowns and a pick. Mack was limited on A-Day, but he completed seven of his 13 attempts for 95 yards, a touchdown and a pick.

There are hypothetical questions about whether Mack would have played better if he was not dinged up, but his A-Day performance is pretty much the only thing people outside the program can go off of when forming their thoughts about this season’s quarterback competition.

An intriguing storyline is that Mack has been in Kalen DeBoer’s system for four years, and he even followed him to Alabama in hope of possibly becoming the starter one day. Russell is a former five-star quarterback, and after sitting behind Simpson and Mack last season, he’s putting pressure on Mack as the spring rolls on.

It is a spring game, but after the showing that fans and media observed today, the vibe in Tuscaloosa is that Russell looks like a starting quarterback. Only time will tell if he will be Alabama’s starting quarterback in 2026.