Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer lost quarterback Ty Simpson to the NFL Draft after his first season under center for the Crimson Tide. For the third consecutive season in his Alabama tenure, DeBoer will oversee a fast and furious quarterback battle ahead of a pivotal season.
Veteran quarterback Austin Mack played in the Crimson Tide’s blowout loss to the Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl, and he will battle with former five-star recruit Keelon Russell to be Alabama’s QB1 next season.
Mike Rodak Breaks Down Kalen DeBoer’s Quarterback Dilemma
On Friday’s “3 Man Front” podcast, Alabama insider Mike Rodak addressed the brewing quarterback battle in Tuscaloosa between Mack and Russell.
“I think there’s more athleticism that you can use out of Keelon Russell than Austin Mack. Mack is a bigger, taller guy and not as mobile,” Rodak said. “You’re probably relying more on your arm if you’re Austin Mack. Compared to Ty Simpson, that’s probably less of Mack’s game (running). From Ty to Jalen Milroe, that was even less.
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“You’re going in a certain direction if you stay with Mack, where you’re kind of turning into a pocket passing offense. Keelon Russell, in theory, kind of opens it up because he has the ability to get out of the pocket and make plays on the run. He just has a quick release. You have the higher upside player in Keelon Russell, I think everybody knows that.”
Mack has the advantage of learning DeBoer’s system for three seasons, including a year with the Washington Huskies, before following the coach to Tuscaloosa.
Offensive Coordinator Ryan Grubb Weighs In on Alabama QB Battle
While speaking to the media after Alabama’s third spring practice on Thursday, Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb broke down the key aspects of the competition to be the team’s QB1 next season.
“Obviously, Austin’s in his third year in the system, so you’d think just as far as ease and being able to run and have control, that should be advantage Austin,” Grubb said. “But I would say Keelon’s extremely intelligent and that has not been an issue, it’s not a limiting factor for him.
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“But at the end of the day, it’s about who has the most production, who’s the best guy on the field, taking care of the football, getting it down the field, scoring touchdowns. And both those guys are very capable leaders, so I think it’s pretty even.”
Whoever wins the battle to be Alabama’s QB1 will take over an offense that occasionally faltered with Simpson under center last season and earned a PFSN College Offense Impact score of 81.7, good for eighth in the SEC.
