A major change is quietly unfolding in Alabama’s locker room. With spring starting soon, Kalen DeBoer’s team is honing in on strength and physique, a focus that directly involves quarterbacks Keelon Russell and Austin Mack. These physical adjustments signal the opening salvo in a fierce battle for the starting job, a competition that could define the team’s championship hopes.

Ahead of the spring game, Alabama updated its online player roster, and the data from Bama staff writer Mike Rodak has lists of players losing and gaining the most weight. While players like TE Jack Sammarco and DE Jah-Marien Latham gained weight, others like DL Jeremiah Beaman and RB Daniel Hill lost a few pounds.

But with most gained and lost players, two QBs also made sure their weight doesn’t get in the way of grabbing the starting position. Keelon Russell gained 7 pounds and went from 194 lb to 201 lb. Even Austin Mack brought himself back into shape, losing three pounds, going down from 235 to 232.

Beyond the physical metrics, these deliberate roster updates signal a vital shift in maturity. By transforming their bodies before spring camp even begins, both signal-callers are demonstrating the pro-level preparation DeBoer usually demands from a championship-caliber leader in the SEC.

Russell adding more pounds this offseason makes it pretty clear that he is adding more lean muscle to improve his strength, throwing power, and overall stability in the pocket. Now, even though they don’t need a muscular physique as linemen, they still have to face sacks and contact, so this will help Russell to play at his full strength.

In Ryan Grubb’s vertical-heavy scheme, pocket mobility and durability are strict requirements. Keelon Russell’s added armor helps him absorb SEC hits while stepping into deep throws, whereas Mack’s trimmed frame provides the twitchy escapability needed to extend plays when the pocket inevitably breaks down. During his 2025 tenure, Ty Simpson played as a dual-threat quarterback, securing eleven total wins. Costly accuracy issues and poor decisions drove key losses, highlighting why escapability matters now.

These transformed frames set the stage for Tuscaloosa’s most heavily scrutinized spring camp in recent memory. With Simpson gone, the physical tweaks prove neither quarterback is treating the upcoming spring game as an exhibition. They are treating it as the first brutal audition for the starting job.

For now, both QBs are in a major battle to start in the 2026 season. Going by experience, Austin Mack knows the system well and has played under Kalen DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb since his Washington days. He has even backed the team in tough times, like their game against Indiana when Ty Simpson went out with an injury. But the real question is whether Kalen DeBoer is willing to take the bet, as the pressure sits right on him.

Kalen DeBoer makes his stance clear on QB1

After Ty Simpson’s move to the NFL, Alabama is left with Austin Mack and Keelon Russell. Both of them saw game action last season and hold skills that can add up to Kalen DeBoer’s championship dreams. But despite that, he cannot take any chances this year.

“I think this one’s probably a little more typical of most quarterback competitions,” DeBoer said on the show. Last year, we had three quarterbacks, and we really, truly did want to give Keelon Russell as much opportunity to show what he can do and grow in his first year. And we just felt like we threw a lot at him, and he took it on.”

Picking out the right quarterback is very important for DeBoer, as they can’t take any more losses this season. Though Simpson had an excellent run with them last year, their losses against Florida State, Indiana, and Georgia showed that they still need a strong guy at center. Because another losing season with no playoff berth can put DeBoer in the hot seat.

When DeBoer joined the program and beat Georgia, his winning percentage against Power Five teams was 90.9%; then it dropped to 89.7% after losing against Vanderbilt. This year it dropped to 80.7%.

He still has an above 80 winning mark, but with eight losses so far and a success rate of 74.1%, his Alabama tenure is a big question mark. So, if he really wants to succeed with his team, finding the right quarterback this spring remains his major task.