Alabama’s quarterback race looks like it’s moving toward a finish line, and Keelon Russell appears to be the one pulling ahead.
Ahead of the Crimson Tide’s second and final fall camp scrimmage on Thursday, On3’s Chris Low reported that he expects Kalen DeBoer to name Russell the starter early next week. DeBoer didn’t give anything away afterward, and Russell and Austin Mack still shared reps during the scrimmage, but one detail stood out: Russell took the first snaps at quarterback.
Up to this point, Mack had gotten that nod because of his seniority. That changed Thursday.
Russell has been the favorite since the end of spring, and now there’s at least something tangible backing that up. The sophomore looks to be on track to open Week 1 against East Carolina as Alabama’s No. 1 quarterback.
The same scrimmage also reinforced what Alabama has been seeing from freshman running back Trae'shawn Brown. The former 3-star recruit keeps making the most of every chance he gets, and Thursday was another strong showing. He probably isn’t jumping junior Daniel Hill on the depth chart, but he’s clearly earned the staff’s trust and looks headed for a significant role as a first-year player in Tuscaloosa.
“You just feel more and more comfortable with him out there,” DeBoer said after Thursday's scrimmage.
There were more encouraging signs around the roster, too. Sophomore receiver Derek Meadows drew praise from DeBoer after another solid day, and with Lotzeir Brooks sidelined, Meadows has been getting more chances while continuing to push junior Rico Scott for a starting job.
Up front, the offensive line also seems to be trending the right way. People watching the scrimmage said the unit handled Alabama’s defensive line much better this week than it did last week. That lines up with the confidence Alabama center Racin Delgatty showed on Wednesday, when he said:
“We're gonna run the ball this year, I'll tell you that,” Delgatty said.
One of the day’s biggest defensive moments came from Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., who intercepted Russell and took it back for a pick-six. Kirkpatrick keeps showing the same thing he’s shown throughout camp: he finds the ball and shows up in the right spot at the right time. Alabama is deep at safety, but the rising junior looks like someone who’s going to have a real role this season because his playmaking is hard to ignore.
The injury news was mostly positive coming out of the scrimmage, with Alabama avoiding much damage beyond players who were already dealing with issues. The exception was transfer cornerback Nick Sherman, who went down with a lower extremity injury and will be evaluated. Sherman was already a depth piece, and he’s now the second corner, along with Jorden Edmonds, to go down in camp.
Elsewhere around Alabama, the school and Tennessee announced on Wednesday that both teams will wear their home jerseys for games in 2026 and 2027, bringing back a familiar Third Saturday in October tradition. When Alabama heads to Knoxville this October, the Crimson Tide will be in crimson and the Volunteers in orange. It will be the first time since 1970 that the teams have both worn home jerseys against each other.
On the basketball front, Nate Oats and Alabama will host another major recruiting visitor next month. Four-star sharpshooting guard Devin Cleveland, who recently named Alabama among his seven finalists, has scheduled a visit to Tuscaloosa for September 18th. Alabama is one of four schools he plans to see.
Cleveland is the latest high-end prospect to line up a visit as Oats and Preston Murphy work on the class of 2027. Alabama did have an early commitment from 2027 guard Anderson Diaz, but he reclassified into the 2026 cycle and joined the Crimson Tide right away, leaving Alabama’s 2027 class back at square one. Oats’ history suggests that won’t stay that way for long.
Alabama soccer also kept rolling on Thursday night. Wes Hart’s team moved to 3-0 with its second straight win over a ranked opponent, following up a 2-1 win at Memphis with a 3-2 victory over TCU in Tuscaloosa.
Larkin Thomason opened the scoring with a penalty kick, TCU answered soon after, and an own goal by the Horned Frogs put Alabama in front 2-1 at halftime. TCU tied it again in the 48th minute, but Ashley Roni delivered the winner in the 55th minute, and Alabama held on from there.
The Crimson Tide now heads to Lincoln for a Sunday road matchup with Nebraska.
In Other News...
Alabamas Defensive Rotation Is Starting To Reveal A Few Early Clues
Alabamas second scrimmage offered another look at how the defensive pieces are lining up with the season opener against East Carolina on Sept. 5 getting closer. A projected depth chart from the session sketches out where the staff may be leaning, with starters and backups emerging at Bandit, Nose Tackle, Defensive Tackle, Wolf linebacker, Stinger, Mike, Husky, cornerback, free safety and strong safety.
For a defense that has spent the offseason sorting through options, the main value here is the clarity around the rotation rather than any final answer. The first few clues suggest the Tide are starting to narrow the field at several spots, but the real test will come when Alabama has to turn those practice reps into a week-one lineup and see which combinations hold up once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama WR Noah Rogers Just Changed An Early Season Concern
Noah Rogers is back on the practice field for Alabama, a notable turn after the transfer receiver went down with a knee injury during the A-Day scrimmage. The injury had been expected to cost him part of the 2026 season, and Kalen DeBoer had already signaled that Rogers was making progress in rehab while still projected to miss the early portion of the regular season.
Now, Rogers return gives the Tide a more encouraging update at a position where depth and timing matter plenty once camp rolls along. It is a good sign for Alabamas receiver room, even if it does not lock in his availability for the start of the season, and it leaves the staff with one more reason to keep watching how he responds in the days ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Is Making A Strong Early Push For Rising 4-Star Receiver
Maximus Currys recruitment already has the feel of one of the early 2028 battles worth tracking, and Alabama has put itself in a strong position right out of the gate. The four-star receiver from Battle Ground Academy in Tennessee is sorting through more than 25 Division 1 offers, but Tennessee, Alabama and Miami have separated themselves as schools that have caught his attention, with the Tide making a particularly active effort to build the relationship.
For Alabama, the next step is getting Curry on campus this fall and continuing to show the kind of communication he values most. He has made it clear that the way a staff connects, not just with him but with his head coach, matters in his process, which gives the Crimson Tide a clear path to keep moving forward as his recruitment develops. [Read more 🡒]