Kalen DeBoer tells where Austin Mack and Keelon Russell stand ahead of fall camp

3/5/25 MFB Spring Practice 2 Alabama Quarterback Ty Simpson (15) Alabama Quarterback Keelon Russell (12) Alabama Quarterback Austin Mack (10) Photo by Kent Gidley

At SEC Media Days in Tampa, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer was asked to compare and contrast quarterbacks Austin Mack and Keelon Russell ahead of fall camp.

“Austin is going into his fourth year, really fourth year in this system,” DeBoer said. “Keelon’s going into his second, so there’s a little bit of a difference there. I know that both of them would say what they know now versus what they knew a year ago, especially in Keelon’s case when it comes to football knowledge, understanding of the offense, understanding of how you attack a defensive and a defensive structure. Their reps have helped them take these big jumps, especially in the last five months. I think last year helped them too with the reps that we did give them. We’re very intentional with how we distribute them. Skill set wise, I think you’re talking about a much taller, bigger quarterback with Austin. Austin, I think will surprise people when he really gets out and runs because he runs very well, better than I think most people think. Keelon is very versatile that way. Has created with his legs as a high school football player. You can see it at times it’s hard to replicate in practice and a guy is not live and what that might lead to on the football field in a game.”

As far as where Mack and Russell stand ahead of fall camp, DeBoer said that regardless of who the Crimson Tide ultimately go with at quarterback this season, the team believes in both Mack and Russell and is fortunate to have a competitive battle for the starting job between two elite quarterbacks.

“Both of them are more than capable,” DeBoer said. “I think they’re high-level elite quarterbacks. Fortunately, we have them both in our program. It’s going to be a competition that’s going to lead to a tough decision. It’s one that we’re fortunate to have, and it’s going to be one that when we do make the decision, we’ll be confident that will do a great job because they are two guys that are well-respected by our football team because of how they work, who they are as people and the production and what they look like on the football field.”

Fall camp is a handful of days away, and the competition will heat up as the Crimson Tide search for their next starting quarterback.