Kalen DeBoer’s fate lies in the hands of Keelon Russell now. DeBoer announced Russell as the starting quarterback over veteran Austin Mack over the weekend, and it might be the most important decision in his tenure as Alabama head coach. Russell is the first true blue-chip quarterback DeBoer has recruited to Tuscaloosa, one who will test whether he really is a quarterback whisperer or whether that will hold him back from being as good as the Tide faithul expects him to be.
In each of the last two seasons, DeBoer inherited Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson. In relief last year, Mack didn’t look that convincing, leading DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb to decide Russell, a five-star high school prospect two years ago, was the better decision. They just might be right.
Keelon Russell is the only quarterback on their roster that could save Kalen DeBoer this year
What seemingly won Russell the job was his ability to command the offense, DeBoer said, per On SI. In a way, it sounds like Russell is a bit more football mature than Mack — which is no knock on the latter at all, but simply how it’s perceived. If that’s the case, that’s exactly what DeBoer should be looking for in his starting quarterback. Russell was a five-star player for a reason, and having him sitting this year isn’t beneficial.
Sure, it’s a watered down version of what he could be, but if you look back at Russell’s two appearances last year against UL Monroe and Eastern Illinois, he completed 73 percent of his passes on 15 pass attempts with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Russell also gives Alabama a dynamic playmaker that can run as well.
If you don’t give him that chance now, you might not ever get it again. He’s not worth losing to the transfer portal when the potential is clearly still there. DeBoer made the right decision in trusting Russell with the keys to the offense. DeBoer’s tenure has been subpar by Alabama standards so far, and maybe having a younger player with a lot of upside rather than a bench player that’s waiting their turn is the better route to go this time around.
Why Keelon Russell has the pressure to “save” Kalen DeBoer
It’s not so much that DeBoer is on the hot seat, as much as this is the year he won’t have any excuses. Yes, he’ll have his third quarterback starting in as many years since he took over for the legendary Nick Saban. But this is now DeBoer’s team. Sure there are still some guys that he may have inherited from the previous regime, but this is now the roster he’s built. This season will determine if he can recruit against the top teams in college football.
Russell is the face of DeBoer’s recruiting success. Mack was a transfer that followed DeBoer from Seattle to Tuscaloosa. Russell is part of DeBoer’s first recruiting class with the Tide. And if you can’t get it right at quarterback, nothing else will matter. Dare I say DeBoer’s legacy will hinge on this season and how well Russell plays. If he lives up to the preseason hype, it will be a good sign.
DeBoer has a lot of trust in Russell as well, because the opening stretch of the season isn’t easy. Despite starting 2026 with a cupcake in East Carolina, the Crimson Tide then play Kentucky, Florida State and South Carolina. After playing Mississippi State, it’s ranked games against Georgia, Tennessee, LSU and Texas A&M. This isn’t an easy schedule for a sophomore quarterback starting their first season to navigate.
But DeBoer has to trust Russell is the best option to handle that kind of pressure. If Russell doesn’t work out, DeBoer might be fighting an uphill battle to get back in the good graces of Bama fans.
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