If you look around the college football landscape, you’ll see that most of the national championship contenders have a solidified starter at QB- Texas has Arch Manning, Oregon has Dante Moore, Notre Dame has CJ Carr, Georgia has Gunner Stockton, Miami has Darian Mensah, Indiana has Josh Hoover, etc. But down in Tuscaloosa, the nation’s most important QB battle is occurring. Austin Mack and Keelon Russell will face off in a QB competition that will likely last into the fall. Let’s talk about it.
Player Profile
Austin Mack
Mack is the first QB you spot when you see the QB group compete. Standing at 6’6″ and 230 pounds, Mack is a mountain of a QB, and surprisingly, a very fluid mover at that size. He showcases an extremely strong arm, capable of stressing defenses beyond 60+ yards.
Entering college football in the class of 2023, Mack was ranked as the #16 QB in the nation. Originally, Mack was slated to be a member of the class of 2024, and the reclassification led to a drop in Mack’s ranking. Mack started just one year of high school football, throwing for 3,498 yards, 40 TDs, and 5 INTs.
Mack has sat behind Michael Penix Jr, Jalen Milroe, and Ty Simpson, learning from Kalen DeBoer, Ryan Grubb, and Nick Sheridan. He’s compiled 267 yards and 3 TDs on his 35 pass attempts with Alabama.
Keelon Russell
If you’re watching an Alabama practice and find yourself amazed by a throw, it was probably thrown by Russell. Russell has been on a weight regimen since arriving in Tuscaloosa, adding roughly 30 pounds to his frame. He now stands 6’3 and 202 pounds. Russell’s best traits are his arm strength, his ability to layer the football at different levels, and his ability to throw on the move.
Arriving in the class of 2025, Russell ranked as the #2 QB and #2 overall player in the class, including a short appearance as the #1 overall player. Fun fact: He’s the highest-rated recruit in Alabama’s modern recruiting history. During his junior and senior years of high school, Russell threw for 7,660 yards, 93 TDs, and 7 INTs.
Russell enters the QB competition with just one year of college football experience. He attempted just 15 passes last season, throwing for 143 yards and 2 TDs on 9.5 Y/A.
Advantages/Disadvantages
Austin Mack
For a team that had one of college football’s worst pass protection units, Mack is the ideal QB to have in the pocket. He’s extremely hard to bring down. He’s strong in the lower half and possesses movement skills that surprise many defenders. Aside from his physical traits, Mack’s obvious advantage is his time in the system. The DeBoer offensive system relies on command and poise, so the immediate edge goes to the QB who has spent the most time in the system.
As far as disadvantages go, the obvious one for Mack is his occasional throw that makes people ask, “What just happened?” That can be a common occurrence for QBs with his arm strength and size. Most throws will be on target, and the deep throws can seem easier. But it’s the underneath and routine throws that Mack can miss. For an offensive scheme that relies on staying on schedule, this can be a problem.
Keelon Russell
You’ll notice that the advantages and disadvantages of these QBs are opposite. Russell’s strength is his ability to make accurate throws at every level. If you watch Russell’s tape, he has a unique ability to place the football through traffic. His footwork and easy release allow him to stay on time with his throws. Russell will consistently hit the throws that keep the offense on schedule, and when the pass protection breaks down, Russell is perhaps at his best when making off-script plays.
Russell’s disadvantages are obvious. His short time in the system will likely show throughout the early stages of this competition. His familiarity with the calls and checks will be two years behind Mack’s. Additionally, you have to think the coaching staff is still worried about his weight. Can this issue be solved by the fall? Absolutely. Russell could easily show up to fall camp at 210 pounds, putting him at the same size as QBs such as Dante Moore and CJ Carr. For a team that dealt with constant injuries from Ty Simpson, the physical profile of the QB will be a factor.
Prediction
Regardless of which QB the Alabama staff chooses, I would not count out the runner-up. This competition will be close enough that the second-place finisher could easily make an appearance if the winner disappoints.
Alabama hasn’t released much footage of spring practice so far, so it’s hard to determine which QB is earning the most 1st-team reps in early spring. Likely, Austin Mack is currently earning more 1st-team reps, given his seniority.
However, I predict that Keelon Russell will win this QB battle by Week 1 of the college football season. By September, Russell will have 20 months in the program. His combination of arm strength, multi-level accuracy, and progressing poise in the pocket will overcome Mack’s experience in the system.
