Paul Finebaum is feeling a bit better about Alabama now that the quarterback picture is settled.
That matters because the Crimson Tide are heading into Year 3 under Kalen DeBoer with a familiar kind of pressure and a new kind of uncertainty. DeBoer has already steered Alabama through a 9-4 debut that ended without a College Football Playoff berth, then followed it up with an 11-4 season that did get the Tide back into the field. Now he’s trying to do it again with a third straight different starting quarterback.
This time, the job belongs to five-star Keelon Russell. The true freshman played in just two games last season, but he made the most of his limited snaps, completing 11-of-15 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns while also adding three carries for 17 yards. He beat out veteran Austin Mack for the starting role.
ESPN’s Football Power Index is still buying into Alabama even with the turnover at quarterback. The FPI has the Tide finishing No. 3 in the SEC with a 9-3 record, a mark that would keep them in the mix for a strong season even if it’s not yet clear whether it would be enough for the College Football Playoff.
Finebaum said on "The Paul Finebaum Show" that he wasn’t especially upbeat about Alabama at first, but Russell winning the job changed that.
"I'm a little more bullish on Alabama than I previously was," Finebaum said. "I hope I'm not just getting sucked into the hype. I think Keelon Russell, knowing he's the guy, makes me feel a lot better."
That’s the real shift for Alabama. The quarterback battle is over, and the conversation turns from who will start to what Russell can actually become.
A 9-3 season would still be a strong result for DeBoer, especially if Russell grows into the kind of quarterback Alabama thinks he can be. His first career start comes Saturday against the East Carolina Pirates at noon ET on ABC, and it will offer the first real look at how ready he is.
If Russell develops quickly, Alabama could end up with more than just a young quarterback trying to survive the moment. The upside here is bigger than that: a playmaker who can raise the ceiling of the offense as the season goes on.
That’s the bet DeBoer is making, and it’s why Finebaum’s stance has softened. The question now is how fast Russell can make his inexperience irrelevant.
In Other News...
Alabamas Toughness Debate Just Got More Uncomfortable For Tide Fans
An anonymous Big Ten running backs coach took aim at Alabamas style of play this week, framing the Tide as a team that can be pushed around and pointing back to last years loss to Indiana as evidence. For a program that sells physicality as part of its identity, any suggestion of softness tends to land loudly, and this one arrived at a time when Alabama is already trying to prove it can be more efficient and more consistent in the trenches.
Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb did not brush aside the concern, acknowledging the offense dealt with too many negative-yardage runs last season. He pointed to the need for better communication and cleaner execution in the running game, a reminder that the conversation around Alabamas toughness is not just external chatter but something the staff is clearly trying to address before the next season gets moving. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Got A Feel Good Visit Right Before The Season Opener
Right before Alabama kicked off its season, the program got a little extra star power on campus. WWE standout Oba Femi, better known to Crimson Tide followers as former track athlete Isaac Odugbesan, stopped by the universitys athletic facilities and spent time with the football team and coach Kalen DeBoer, turning the visit into one of those feel-good moments that reminds everyone how wide Alabamas athletic reach really is.
Femi also took in the upgrades around the facilities, and he was complimentary about the work ethic he saw from the football side. The visit carried an added flourish when he presented DeBoer with a custom championship belt, a fitting gesture from someone who has climbed fast in WWE and still has a connection to the school that helped shape his athletic path. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama WR Ryan Coleman-Williams Is Taking A Risk He Can't Afford
Ryan Coleman-Williams heads into a pivotal junior season for Alabama with his future very much on the line after a sophomore year that left questions about his reliability as a receiver. The Crimson Tide wideout has spent the offseason trying to sharpen the details that can make or break a draft case, and teammates have noticed the urgency behind his work. Zabien Brown has pointed to Coleman-Williams competitiveness and effort in practice as signs that he is attacking the challenge head-on.
Coleman-Williams has also chosen to lean into a familiar approach as he tries to clean up the part of his game that drew the most scrutiny. For a player who needs a strong year to reframe the conversation around him, every rep will matter, and Alabama will be watching closely to see whether the adjustment helps him turn a promising skill set into dependable production. [Read more 🡒]