Keelon Russell didn’t arrive at Alabama thinking the job should be handed to him, and he’s not pretending the year he spent behind Ty Simpson was wasted time.
Now set for his second start this weekend in Lexington against Kentucky, the former Duncanville High School standout is stepping into the next phase of his Alabama career with a little more polish and a lot more perspective. Saturday will bring his first real test, too, with a talented Wildcats defense waiting.
Russell entered Alabama in 2024 as a former 5-star plus recruit, the kind of prospect that draws eyes from everywhere. But his first season in Tuscaloosa was spent as the Tide’s third-string quarterback, learning behind Simpson during the 2025 season instead of immediately grabbing the spotlight.
That setup, Russell says, was exactly what he needed.
“I’ve never had an ego, I was always humble.” Russell said.
“I never talked about my accolades, I never talked about anything I won in my life. So when I got here, it was so much stuff to learn coming from high school to college.
The systems changed, the speed of the game changed.”
He was even more direct when talking about what it meant to sit and watch.
“I was hard on myself coming in as a freshman. I didn’t get the playbook right away, and like I said I learned so much from Ty.
I’m actually glad that I got to sit behind a top 20 prospect in the draft, he understands what it is to be a quarterback at the University of Alabama. I’m not saying that I couldn’t do it, but it was better off that I didn’t get that starting job and it makes me better as a quarterback.
Understanding that my time is going to come, the process is the process.”
That time has arrived now, and Russell’s comments make it clear he sees Simpson’s presence as part of his own growth. Simpson put together a huge season in 2025, throwing for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns before becoming the Los Angeles Rams’ first round selection in the NFL Draft just four months later.
He spent four seasons at Alabama, and for Russell, that year spent in the background appears to have mattered. Simpson was elite for most of the 2025 campaign, and Russell now has the chance to build on that foundation as Alabama’s starting quarterback in 2026.
In Other News...
Keelon Russells Alabama Rise Says A Lot About This QB Room
Keelon Russells first start of the season against East Carolina offered a glimpse of why Alabama has been so encouraged by his development. The Crimson Tide quarterback threw for 256 yards and ran for 86 more, adding a touchdown in a performance that showed how quickly he has grown into a bigger role. It also underscored how much of his progress has come from the quarterback room around him, not just from his own talent.
Russell has been quick to credit former starter Ty Simpson for helping him sharpen his game and settle into the demands of the position. Simpsons Alabama career ended with a first-round selection by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2026 NFL Draft, a reminder of the standard Russell is trying to reach. For Alabama, the interesting part is not just Russells debut, but what it says about a room that keeps producing quarterbacks ready for the next step. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs SEC Fight Isnt Over And Alabama Fans Should Notice
The latest round of LSUs fight with the SEC has cooled the temperature a bit, but it is far from over. The dispute centers on two former NFL players seeking a fifth year of eligibility to suit up for LSU, and a judges preliminary injunction opened the door for them to be rostered while the legal back-and-forth played out. For now, that has been enough to keep the conference from taking the most dramatic step on the table, even if the underlying issue is still very much alive.
For Alabama fans, the larger takeaway is that this is not just an LSU problem or a one-day administrative squabble. The SEC may have pulled expulsion discussion from its meeting agenda, but more court hearings are pending and the conference could still decide to impose consequences on LSU later. In a league where every ruling can ripple outward, the outcome of this case is worth watching well beyond Baton Rouge. [Read more 🡒]
Why Alabama Keeps Trusting Christian Robinson With A Key Tide Role
Christian Robinson is back for his third season as Alabamas outside linebackers coach, and his steady presence has become part of the programs broader comfort level on the defensive side of the ball. Even with opportunities to move on to other jobs, Robinson has remained in Tuscaloosa, where he has earned praise for the way he approaches the work and the consistency he brings to a key position group.
For players like edge rusher Yhonzae Pierre, the value goes beyond technique or scheme. Pierre has pointed to Robinsons willingness to dive into film with his group and to stay engaged with them away from football, a combination that has helped build trust inside the room. In a program that has to keep developing pass rushers, that kind of coaching presence is part of why Alabama keeps leaning on him. [Read more 🡒]