Lotzeir Brooks gave Alabama exactly what it needed against Florida State: a reliable outlet who kept the passing game moving and helped settle down young quarterback Keelon Russell.
Brooks was all over the field in the Crimson Tide’s 50-36 win on Saturday, finishing with 101 yards on eight catches. He stayed active as Alabama spread the ball around, and Kalen DeBoer made it clear after the game that the wideout’s value goes beyond the box score.
“I think there are positions you want to put guys in to let them go one-on-one, windows you feel Keelon probably favors throwing to,” DeBoer said. “It’s going to continue to go.
When you have more than one target and Ryan gets a lot of attention and now when Lotzeir is doing his thing; I like that. We were hitting our tight ends.
We hit Kaleb (Edwards) in particular, down the middle of the field. I love that we are spreading the wealth to different guys and make it tougher to defend.
But yeah, Lotzeir is doing a nice job, I think, being quarterback friendly, defining his route and being in a spot where the quarterback expects him to be.”
That “quarterback friendly” label fit the way Brooks described his own role. He said the group is trying to make things easier on Russell, who is still early in his development.
“He’s young, so we all just try to help him as best as we can.” Brooks said.
“Get lined up fast, whatever it is, we just try to help him have a calm and great game. If he plays good, if he’s calm and not worried about anything, he’s very very good.”
Russell did plenty of good work himself against Florida State. He threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns and added 56 rushing yards with another score on the ground. Brooks and Russell were both major reasons Alabama came out on top, and the early signs of chemistry between the two are already showing in 2026.
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When Nick Saban announced his retirement in January 2024, Mike Norvell surfaced as a serious name in Alabamas search, with reports indicating he had moved into advanced talks with the Crimson Tides athletic director. In the end, Norvell stayed at Florida State after landing a contract extension, closing what looked at the time like one of the biggest coaching possibilities of the offseason.
Since then, the backdrop in Tallahassee has only grown shakier, with Florida States football fortunes sliding and the programs athletic director recently being fired. For Alabama fans looking back on that search, the near-miss feels more significant now, because the decision to stay put has placed Norvell in a far more uncertain spot than the one he passed up. [Read more 🡒]
Keelon Russell May Have Changed Alabamas Ceiling Faster Than Expected
Keelon Russell gave Alabama a jolt in the comeback win over Florida State, and he did it with the kind of poise that can change how a season feels in a hurry. Down 21-6, the quarterback helped the Crimson Tide score on seven straight possessions, finishing 23 of 30 for 320 yards and three touchdowns while adding 56 rushing yards and another score in the 50-36 victory.
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For Alabama, the bigger point is how often these fights reshape the competitive landscape before anyone plays a game. Texas A&Ms move into the SEC came out of frustration with the Big 12, and the pattern is familiar enough now that each new dispute feels like another sign of a sport still working through who has leverage, who gets heard and what happens when schools decide their conference no longer fits the job they want done. [Read more 🡒]