Keelon Russell hasn’t spent much time as Alabama’s starting quarterback, but the ripple effect was immediate.
A little more than a week after he was named the starter, Russell is set to walk into Bryant-Denny Stadium in that role for the first time in four days against East Carolina. Even with only a handful of collegiate snaps behind him, teammates say he has already started to look like the guy in charge.
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said Russell has the kind of presence that shows up fast once the job becomes his.
"The guys believe in him, and he's got a voice out there," Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said. "He's not afraid to speak up and be vocal.
I think he'll be more vocal now that he's been named the starting quarterback. I just feel when he's out there, yelling out calls, trying to get guys lined up, pulling them in, whatever the situation is, it's him and the guys all believe in him and will do what he says.”
That leadership has already spilled into the locker room. Over the weekend, Russell took Alabama’s offensive line out to dinner, and starting left tackle Jackson Lloyd said the group made a night of it. The oysters kept coming, the count got fuzzy, and the main point was clear: Russell was building chemistry with the people protecting him.
Lloyd said Russell has been showing more than just quarterback traits.
"Just doing little stuff like breaking down huddles, talking in front of the team, all that type of stuff," Lloyd said. of Russell. "He’s really taken his game to the next level, so I’m excited for him. Proud of him, too.”
On the other side of the ball, junior defensive back Zabien Brown sees the same thing every day in practice. Brown lines up against Russell regularly and has a front-row seat to what Alabama is getting at quarterback.
"He’s formed into a great leader for our team-on the field, off the field," Brown said. "I love his style of play.
He’s very dynamic. He can make a lot of plays with his legs, and I think that provides a huge strength to our offense.”
For junior wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, the connection with Russell goes back even further. Coleman-Williams said he wanted Russell at Alabama when the quarterback was still in high school in Texas, and now he’s looking ahead to what the pair can do together this season.
"Super excited for him because I’ve seen the work he’s put in up until this point, so I’m happy for him and super excited for what this season has to come," Coleman-Williams said.
In Other News...
Alabama Fans Need To Know These Bryant-Denny Changes Before Week 1
Alabamas 2026 opener against East Carolina on Sept. 5 will come with a familiar game-day feel and a few additions around Bryant-Denny Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m., and the pregame atmosphere will again lean on some of the traditions that make a Saturday in Tuscaloosa feel like its own event, including the Walk of Champions, the Elephant Stomp and a concert by The M-80s at Champions Lane.
For fans planning to be in town, the bigger change may be what awaits them before and after they get to the stadium. Several new and reopened restaurants in Tuscaloosa are being highlighted as part of the weekend scene, giving the Crimson Tide crowd more options as it turns a season opener into a full-day outing. [Read more 🡒]
AJ McCarron Just Sent A Clear Message Before Keelon Russells Debut
AJ McCarron knows what it looks like when Alabama quarterbacks carry the weight of the job before they ever settle in, which is why his advice to Keelon Russell landed with a familiar kind of urgency. On The Dynasty podcast, the former Crimson Tide quarterback urged Alabamas incoming starter to trust himself and let the game come to him as he prepares for his first career start.
Russells debut arrives in a spotlight game against East Carolina, set for Saturday morning at 11 a.m. CT on ABC, and the setting alone will make the early moments feel significant. For Alabama, the hope is simple: a clean first step from a young quarterback learning the role, with the kind of early confidence that can settle a season before it really gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Keelon Russell Is Already Testing What Alabamas Offense Can Become
Keelon Russell is already acting like a quarterback who understands the job is bigger than just throwing the ball. Alabamas starter recently brought his offensive line together for a dinner meant as a simple thank-you, but it also served as a clear sign that he is trying to build the kind of trust and accountability that can shape an offense before the first big snap of the season. For a young quarterback, those relationships often matter as much as arm talent, especially in a system where timing and cohesion have to show up early.
Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb have both pointed to Russells progress, and their focus has centered on the communication needed to keep protection on schedule. The staff knows the line only works cleanly when the quarterback and the center are on the same page, and that kind of connection can determine how much freedom Alabama has to expand its offense this fall. The work is still unfolding, but the early signs suggest Russell is trying to set a tone that reaches well beyond the huddle. [Read more 🡒]