Setting the Stage for Alabama’s 2026 Quarterback Battle

Alabama opens Fall camp this week with all eyes on Austin Mack and Keelon Russell as the two compete for the starting quarterback position vacated by Ty Simpson when he declared for the 2026 NFL draft.

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Let's set the stage for the duel between Mack and Russell this fall, with the winner being named the starting quarterback at Alabama.

Austin Mack - Senior (6-foot-6, 232 Pounds)

Luke Hales, Getty Images

Mack is entering his fourth season of college football after reclassifying from the 2024 recruiting class to the 2023 class. He signed with Kalen DeBoer out of Folsom High School in Folsom, California, where he completed 70.4% of his passes for 3,498 yards and 40 touchdowns to just 5 interceptions in his final year of high school football. Mack also rushed the ball 98 times for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns. He redshirted in 2023 when Washington won the Pac-12 and made the CFP National Championship and chose to follow head coach Kalen DeBoer to Alabama, transferring to the Crimson Tide in January 2024.

Since arriving in Alabama, Mack has primarily served as a backup quarterback, riding the bench behind Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson in 2024 before competing with Simpson and Russell for the starting quarterback job in 2025. Mack finished second behind Simpson and served as Alabama's backup quarterback during the 2025 campaign. In his collegiate career, Mack has completed 74.3% of his passes for 267 yards and 3 touchdowns, adding 22 yards and a score on the ground.

Mack played in the College Football Playoff against the Indiana Hoosiers following a rib injury to Ty Simpson, completing 11-of-16 passes for 103 yards and was sacked three times. He led Alabama's lone scoring drive in the 35-point blowout loss.

How Can Austin Mack Win the Job?

Holding off a five-star prospect is hard, but Mack remains in the thick of the Alabama quarterback battle as fall camp opens up. He lost some ground in the spring, with Keelon Russell's dazzling performance at A-Day, but a strong fall camp could make up the lost ground. Mack's frame is built to play in the SEC, with the height to look over the chaos at the line of scrimmage and the arm talent to fit passes into tight windows. The concern for Mack is playmaking outside of the pocket.

If Alabama's offensive line struggles to protect the quarterback, whoever wins the job may be asked to extend plays outside of the pocket and deliver decisive passes off-platform, which has not been Mack's strong suit up to this point. He did have a couple of flashes against Eastern Illinois and Indiana, but on such a small sample size, we don't know if he can do it consistently.

Keelon Russell - Sophomore (6-foot-3, 201 Pounds)

Jason Clark, Getty Images

Russell is entering his second season of college football out of Duncanville High School in Duncanville, Texas. Russell was originally a three-star quarterback committed to SMU, but flipped to Alabama shortly after. He then finished as a five-star prospect and was named the MVP of the Elite 11. As a senior at Duncanville, Russell completed 69.4% of his passes for 4,177 yards and 55 touchdowns with 4 interceptions, adding 321 yards on 33 carries and 3 rushing touchdowns.

He competed with Mack and Simpson for the Tide's starting quarterback job last season, finishing third behind the two veterans and appearing in just two games. In his two appearances, Russell completed 73.3% of his passes for 143 yards and 2 touchdowns, adding 17 rushing yards. Both of his touchdowns last season came in week two against ULM, where he passed for 65 yards in the 73-point win against the Warhawks.

How Can Russell Win the Job?

Russell made up some ground in spring with a dazzling A-Day performance, with some saying he has a slight lead entering fall camp to win Alabama's quarterback competition. Overtaking a senior quarterback with three years of experience in an offensive system can be difficult, but the talent jumps off the screen with Russell. Russell has added weight since arriving in Tuscaloosa, listed at 201 pounds on Alabama's roster. Russell's skill set is ideal if Alabama's offensive line struggles to protect the quarterback this season, but the concern for Russell is his frame and taking care of the football.

While Russell has added weight, there is still a concern with how he'll handle taking hits in the SEC. In his two game appearances so far, Russell hasn't had to feel much pressure, so on a larger scale, how can he hold up over the course of a full season?

When Can We Expect a Starter to be Named?

At SEC Media Days, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said he'd like to name a starter as early as possible, but understands that the battle needs to play out to its fullest extent. The Crimson Tide's quarterback battle last season played until after the first scrimmage of fall camp. If Alabama follows the same timeline in 2026, then we could expect a quarterback announcement as early as August 17, the Monday after Alabama's expected first scrimmage. Make no mistake, though, both Mack and Russell will see reps in Alabama's opening game of the season against East Carolina on September 5.

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_.