Tuscaloosa – Alabama head football coach Kalen DeBoer kept the starting quarterback choice under wraps during Thursday’s post‑scrimmage press conference following the second practice of fall camp. While he praised the overall progress of the offense, DeBoer said the decision will be made after further evaluation this weekend.
Quarterback performance in focus
According to sources at the press conference, sophomore Keelon Russell was the first quarterback to receive reps, leading the first‑team offense alongside freshman running back Trae'shawn Brown. Russell guided the offense to three early scoring drives, but also threw the only turnover of the day—a pick‑six intercepted by Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. while attempting a play outside the pocket.
DeBoer highlighted the improvement in pre‑snap execution, noting that the quarterbacks and the offense as a whole were “on another level” compared to the previous week. He emphasized the importance of clean huddles, command calls, and avoiding bad looks, all of which are critical to the quarterback’s responsibilities.
Coaching staff’s next steps
“We can win with either one of them. I feel very comfortable with that,” DeBoer said. “Obviously, we got to pick one, and we will, we will pick one, and we’ll continue working through that here in the days ahead.” The coaching staff plans to continue working through the weekend, reviewing film and practice performance before making a final call.
National insider Chris Low of On3 posted on X that he expects Russell to be named the starter by early next week, but DeBoer did not confirm or deny the speculation.
Upcoming schedule
Alabama will return to the practice field for fall camp practice No. 14 on Sunday morning. The Crimson Tide’s first game of the 2026 season is slated for Saturday, September 5, at home against East Carolina, with kickoff set for 11:00 a.m.
Wyatt Fulton, the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, covered the scrimmage and provided photos of the practice. For additional Crimson Tide coverage, follow Fulton on X (formerly Twitter) at @FultonW_.
Original reporting: The Tuscaloosa Thread — read the source article.
