Nick Saban weighs in on Alabama football’s quarterback competition

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban discusses the Texas Tech football game vs. BYU on College GameDay, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium.

Alabama quarterbacks Austin Mack and Keelon Russell are set for an intriguing position battle this fall. 

At SEC Media Days in Tampa, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban weighed in on the current quarterback competition in Tuscaloosa. 

“I think both these guys are capable,” he said on SEC Now. “And sometimes, you got to say quarterback is the most difficult position to play based on how the people around you play, so that may have something to do with who they determine is the starter. Who’s the best fit with the rest of the players on the team? I think both guys are capable.”

Russell has been talked about a lot since the conclusion of Alabama’s A-Day, and former players like Mark Ingram II believe Russell has the upper hand in the quarterback battle. 

Saban gave his take on Russell and described what he’s seen from him in the spring.  

“Keelon Russell, I’ve watched this guy for two springs,” he said. “He didn’t play much in the fall. I watched him in two springs. This guy is a talented guy who is a playmaker who can make plays, and whether he’s ready to play now or not – obviously the coaches will determine that – he is going to be an outstanding player in the future.”

When speaking about the quarterbacks at SEC Media Days on Wednesday, head coach Kalen DeBoer emphasized that both Mack and Russell are elite quarterbacks, and he said the Crimson Tide are fortunate to have such a tough decision to make ahead of the season.