Alabama’s quarterback battle between Austin Mack and Keelon Russell may grab the headlines this fall, but the Crimson Tide’s offense is going to live or die up front. That’s especially true with a rebuilt offensive line now working under new position coach Adrian Klemm.
This is not the same group Alabama had a year ago. Michael Carroll is the only returning starter, and even he has shifted from right tackle to right guard. Around him, the Tide are piecing together a new look that includes transfers such as center Racin Delgatty, and the early challenge has been getting everyone on the same page.
That communication was an issue in Alabama’s first fall scrimmage, according to offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. But head coach Kalen DeBoer said the second scrimmage on Thursday showed real progress, especially in how the line and quarterbacks were operating together.
"You can just see there’s more and more confidence," DeBoer said. "I would just say, generally speaking, this week you are not having busts like we would have week one.
You are seeing a gel. Now you are seeing holes open up for the running backs to run through, and we broke down what an explosive run play is and what it take sat the beginning of fall camp.
And that’s the yards you get before contact. That’s making a missed tackle, you know?
There is a formula to that when you play the percentages. And I think you are seeing more and more of that happen, but it starts all up front with the offensive line."
The Tide’s projected lineup currently has sophomore Jackson Lloyd at left tackle, Mal Waldrep Jr. or William Sanders at left guard, Delgatty at center, Carroll at right guard and Jayin James or Nick Brooks at right tackle.
A major offseason priority was fixing the run game after Alabama finished 125th nationally in rushing yards per game last season. DeBoer said the line’s pass protection was ahead of the run game early in camp, but that the ground attack has steadily come along.
"The protection, I think, was ahead of the run game early in camp," DeBoer said. "I would have said, I think, last week that I like the direction we were going.
I think this week the run game has continued to improve. I think we had really, as a team, I think we had four really good practices this week."
Thursday’s scrimmage was Alabama’s last preseason tune-up. From here, the Crimson Tide move out of camp mode and into game-week preparation for the season opener against East Carolina.
In Other News...
Alabama Fans Will Have Strong Reactions To Keelon Russell's SEC Ranking
Bud Elliotts early look at the 2026 SEC quarterback race put Alabama fans in a familiar spot: plenty of hope, and probably a little debate. In his CBS Sports ranking, the college football analyst slotted Texas star Arch Manning at No. 1, then filled out the top five with Ole Misss Trinidad Chambliss, LSUs Sam Leavitt, Alabamas Keelon Russell and South Carolinas LaNorris Sellers.
For Alabama, the noteworthy part is not just Russell cracking the list, but where he landed in a conference that rarely leaves much room for error at quarterback. Elliott also weighed recent performance and future potential in making his selections, which only adds to the intrigue around Russell heading into next season. Crimson Tide fans have spent plenty of time waiting to see what the next quarterback era will look like, and this ranking is another reminder that the conversation around Russell is already starting to get serious. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Scrimmage Left One Big QB Question And Fresh Injury Concern
Alabamas second preseason scrimmage gave the staff a better look at where things stand across the roster, and it also offered a reminder that the most important battles in camp are still unresolved. The quarterback race between Keelon Russell and Austin Mack remains the headliner, with some around the program already viewing Russell as the favorite, while other young players such as wide receiver Derek Meadows and running back Traeshawn Brown helped themselves with encouraging work in the session.
There was also a more concerning note on the injury front, as true freshman EJ Crowell sat out while continuing to work back from an ankle issue. In a camp where every rep matters, Alabama is still sorting out both its top competition and its early health picture, and the final shape of the depth chart will depend on how those pieces come together over the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Former Alabama Player Just Won A Massive Case Tied To 2023 Shooting
A former Alabama basketball player has now won a major legal battle that reached far beyond the court. An Alabama jury ordered The New York Times to pay $9.25 million in damages to Kai Spears after finding the paper defamed him by wrongly reporting that he was at the scene of a fatal 2023 shooting, a claim Spears challenged in a lawsuit filed in 2023.
The nine-day trial ended with the jury siding with Spears, putting a sharp spotlight on how a mistaken report can follow an athlete long after his playing days. The Times had acknowledged the error in its original story and said it is reviewing its legal options after the verdict, leaving the case with another chapter still possible. [Read more 🡒]