Kalen DeBoer puts a deadline on the Alabama Crimson Tide's decision to name the starting quarterback for the 2026 season
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The Alabama Crimson Tide is about to kick off the dawn of a new era. For the first time since Kalen DeBower was hired, he will be able to hand-pick a quarterback that he recruited. The two candidates are Austin Mack and Keelon Russell.
Well, in a sit-down interview with On3, DeBoer addressed what he wants to see from both of his signal callers and gave early indications on the strengths of both. But perhaps more importantly, DeBoer also mentioned when the Crimson Tide’s coaching staff will make a decision on who will take the first snap come September.
Kalen DeBoer names deadline for Alabama starting quarterback
“To me, a couple weeks before the first game is always really kind of your end-all, and that to me is what’s worked for us,” DeBoer told Charlie Potter of On3. “But last year we pulled the trigger on Ty [Simpson] probably even earlier than what we thought, just because we felt like we knew.”
It might sound like hyperbole, but I truly believe this will be the biggest coaching decision of DeBoer’s career. It’s year three of his tenure in Tuscaloosa. We can talk about the leveling up of the team from 2024 to 2025. We can look at the College Football Playoff win over the Sooners and see growth.
But what can’t be ignored is what happened in the Rose Bowl. Not only can it not be ignored, but it can’t be repeated. The last thing Alabama fans want to see is a blowout loss in the CFP, or even worse, missing the field of 12 entirely.
The biggest determinant in that? Whoever starts at quarterback. Right now, Mack probably has the upper hand due to experience alone. It will be year four for him in DeBoer’s system, and he was Simpsom’s backup last year, but the upside of Russell is undeniable.
Why Kalen DeBoer is bullish on Keelon Russell
“Keelon got a lot of reps, and we were very intentional with that last spring and fall,” DeBoer added. “I think that really got him to the point where he feels comfortable with the offense. Not near as many reps in the system as Austin, but enough for us to see what he’s capable of. And so, now it’s just more high-level reps. You’re not taking as many twos and threes; you’re taking all ones and twos and getting to do it with guys who are the starters around you.”
It will be a must-watch spring ball and fall camp in Tuscaloosa this year, and we at A to Z Sports Alabama will be here for all of it. Give me a follow at @NFL_Rob on Twitter-X to keep up with all of the Crimson Tide news this offseason.
Related: Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer just destroyed LSU’s Lane Kiffin without even saying his name
This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Mar 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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