How Did Austin Mack and Keelon Russell perform During Alabama’s First Spring Scrimmage?

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama's first scrimmage of spring practice is in the books, and, predictably, there has been no movement on the starting quarterback front for the Crimson Tide after seven practices at the Thomas Drew Practice Fields. Both Austin Mack and Keelon Russell took reps with the first-string offense on Friday as they jockey for positioning in their hunt to be named the next starting quarterback at Alabama.

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Both Mack and Russell had good moments on Friday, throwing touchdowns to Ryan Coleman-Williams, who, sources at the scrimmage said, was "the best player on the field," as he caught three touchdowns on Friday. In videos circulating online from the scrimmage, Mack and Russell both threw impressive passes and showed no fear when throwing to receivers over the middle of the field.

"I love the aggressiveness that they have,” DeBoer told reporters on Friday. “They’re not gun-shy. They go and make plays attacking whenever they can get the right opportunities with the throws, and they’re making the throws. And the guys are going through, making the plays for them, and the catches.”

Mack, a redshirt junior, spent the 2025 season as the Tide's primary backup, stepping in for Ty Simpson during the Rose Bowl after Simpson went down with a rib injury against Indiana. Russell, a redshirt freshman, competed with both Mack and Simpson last season. With Mack and Russell back in the fold for the 2026 quarterback battle, both will have every opportunity to win the job, but if one is ahead of the other right now, DeBoer didn't show his hand after Alabama's first scrimmage. However, he praised how both have handled the offseason process, including the Crimson Tide's offensive line.

"I think they’re gaining more confidence in the offensive line each and every day,” he said. “That’s going to take time. We know there’s a lot of faces up front, but they’re clear with their communication. There’s not a lot that’s catching them off guard, so they can go out and let their skills speak for themselves and make the plays.

Alabama returns to spring practice on Monday in preparation for A-Day on Saturday, April 11. The Tide's spring scrimmage will be a two-hour scrimmage, and attendance is free for fans. However, A-Day will not be televised.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.