The QB battle at Alabama remains “deadlocked” between redshirt junior Austin Mack and redshirt freshman Keelon Russell. With spring practices done, the Bama fans are waiting to know their signal-caller. Fresh off a contract extension, Kalen DeBoer announced a timeline to choose his QB1.

“I don’t have that news ready,” said DeBoer during his Friday appearance on AL.com with Ben Flanagan when asked who the 2026 QB1 is. “Sorry, I’d love to do it with you, but just not quite there yet. So, need to wait. We need to wait a little bit, probably into fall camp, probably before the season starts.”

Following the conclusion of spring practice and the annual A-Day scrimmage, Kalen DeBoer indicated that no clear starter has emerged yet, though Russell statistically outperformed a “limited” Mack during the spring game. Russell completed 21 of 33 passes for 228 yards and 4 TDs, while Mack racked up 7 of 13 passes for 111 yards and 1 TD. However, the Alabama head coach noted Mack was “dinged up,” and his snap count was intentionally limited.

Yet, Austin Mack’s primary advantage is his multi-year history with the head coach. He is entering his fourth season working under DeBoer, having followed him from Washington. In contrast, Russell has only one year of experience in the system. Last season, Mack served as the primary backup, appearing in 4 games and completing 24 of 32 passes, and he played extensively in the Rose Bowl against Indiana after Simpson was injured.

On the flip side, the redshirt freshman has only played two games against ULM and Eastern Illinois, where he completed 11-of-15 passes. Despite Mack’s physical advantage at 6’6″ and 235+ lbs and deep familiarity with DeBoer’s offensive system, Russell is considered the more naturally gifted playmaker with higher “dual-threat” upside.

But according to OC Ryan Grubb, Mack’s deep familiarity with the offense currently gives him the “ease of being able to run” the system, though Russell’s mobility and arm talent are narrowing that gap. So, making this decision of QB1 is tough, and Kalen DeBoer echoed that same sentiment when asked who could be ‘the guy.’

“They’re both very poised. I think there are more similarities than differences between them,” said the head coach. “You’re not going to change the offense based on who’s starting. I mean, there might be a couple tags and things that you just do differently because this guy just does this, and it’s a huge strength of his and a certain throw or something that he makes.”

Is the competition healthy among Kalen DeBoer’s QBs?

Kalen DeBoer admitted that neither QB met the high “standard” set earlier in spring during the final scrimmages, but he views the situation as a “good problem” because it pushes both to take a “big leap” over the summer. Here’s where both QBs expressed that they are “teammates first,” with a shared focus on returning Alabama to championship contention.

“Austin has seen it. He is confident in the offense, doesn’t have to overthink things because he’s been through it and seen it coached different ways with different guys both here and Washington,” said DeBoer. “Keelon is a poised person; just because of who he is, doesn’t have as much time in the offense, but he has really dove in.”

Austin Mack focuses on his preparation, stating, “I’ve been putting in the work for a long time now; I know I’m ready for the moment.” He emphasized the importance of preparing as if he were already the starter.

Meanwhile, Keelon Russell has been vocal about his desire to win the role while supporting the team’s overall success. “We’re both competitors. I want to win the starting position, but like I said, whether it’s me or Austin, I feel like it’s going to be a great season no matter what.”