Alabama will kick off its 2026 season against East Carolina in 34 days. However, the Austin Mack vs. Keelon Russell battle is still going on. And at the same time, Kalen DeBoer has to do his best to get off the hot seat this season. That’s where ESPN host Dari Nowkhah dropped a bold take, declaring his pick for the Tide’s starting QB this year.

Nowkhah deemed DeBoer to be in a “pressure cooker” situation entering 2026. However, he thought Russell could help take some pressure off the coach.

“Okay, you all are not going to like to hear this. Keelon Russell will start and be one of the three best quarterbacks in the SEC by the time the season ends,” Nowkhah said on That SEC Podcast, when Michael Bratton asked him for a hot take. “Which means he will not be Kalen DeBoer’s losses, which will mean they’ll [Alabama] be in a conversation for a spot in Atlanta in a playoff.”

DeBoer flashed in 2025 with a 11-4 record, after going 9-4 the previous year. Yet the coach shows up on hot seat lists heading into his third season at Alabama. In both of his last seasons, DeBoer had proven quarterbacks in Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson. But Keelon Russell enters the 2026 season having played just two games as a redshirt freshman last year.

However, he has been creating a good impression so far. Russell recorded 240 yards and four TDs in Alabama’s annual spring game, while also adding 25 rushing yards and 5 scores. Austin Mack, the Year 4 veteran, tallied only 111 passing yards and one touchdown.

Mack knows DeBoer’s system better than Russell, having played under DeBoer when he was the Washington Huskies’ head coach. He also stepped in for Simpson when he was injured last season, finishing 2025 with 228 yards and two touchdowns. But Russell, the No. 2 overall recruit in the class of 2025, has an edge over Mack as a dual-threat quarterback.

Paul Finebaum also believes that the younger QB could be a boon for Alabama.

“If Keelon Russell is the quarterback, the run game just became a lot easier for reasons we don’t need to detail,” he said on his show. “He’s such a great threat on the field; he’s going to open everything else up. He’ll take the pressure off what was a pretty anemic offensive line last year.”

Meanwhile, Russell has been flexing his strength on the mat during the offseason. He’s added boxing training to his fitness regimen, as seen in a couple of posts online. Russell’s arms were moving impressively fast in those drills, which should excite fans ahead of the season.

After all, he has to give his all to edge past the veteran Mack and win the starting job.

Kalen DeBoer’s take on Alabama’s 2026 QB1

DeBoer clearly said picking the QB1 this year would be a “tough decision.” Austin Mack and Keelon Russell both deserve that place following their offseason growth.

“Both of them are more than capable,” said Kalen DeBoer at SEC Media Days. “I think they’re high-level, elite quarterbacks. Fortunately we have them both in our program, and it’s going to be a competition that’s going to lead to a tough decision, one we’re fortunate to have.”

“It’s going to be one that, when we do make the decision, we’ll be confident we’ll do a great job,” added the Tide head coach.

According to wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, both Mack and Russell have been working extremely hard, reporting to the facility early in the morning. He was confident in Mack’s familiarity with DeBoer’s system, and at the same time, pointed out that Russell has made “huge strides.”

For now, the results of this race will still be a guessing game for us.