Brooks Austin has become one of the more respected voices in college football film study, and when he starts talking Alabama, people tend to pay attention.
Known to plenty of fans as “The Film Guy” through his YouTube channel, “The Film Guy Network,” Austin recently joined AL.com’s Alabama football podcast “Beat Everyone” to dig into the Crimson Tide’s 2026 outlook. The conversation centered on Alabama’s new starting quarterback, Keelon Russell, and why Austin views him as such a special talent.
Austin also weighed in on a few other big questions around the program: whether Kalen DeBoer fixed Alabama’s offensive line and run game during the offseason, how many wins he expects the Tide to get in 2026, and whether Alabama can reach the College Football Playoff.
On the quarterback front, Austin’s view is clear. He thinks Alabama would be competitive at a high level this season no matter which quarterback DeBoer and Ryan Grubb chose to start.
Even so, he believes Russell is different. Austin called him a star already and broke down his film in a 30-minute video that blended Russell’s limited snaps at Alabama with his explosive high school tape.
In a college game where explosive plays matter more than ever, Austin sees a quarterback who can provide exactly that kind of edge. And he has a lot of faith in DeBoer and Grubb to keep developing quarterbacks at a high level.
The discussion covered all of that and more, along with a word from 2003 Bama Fan.
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 🡒]