Kalen DeBoer, Ryan Grubb and Bryan Ellis are about to find out how much freedom a young quarterback can really handle.
Keelon Russell is stepping into a season that will ask a lot more than whether he can throw the ball and move the offense. It will test how Alabama manages him, too - how much they let him shape the Crimson Tide attack without piling the entire operation on his back. And before that ride starts, there’s a recent example worth studying: the way Texas handled Arch Manning in his first season as QB1.
The situations are not identical, and Russell does not need to copy Manning’s path. But Alabama can pull three clear lessons from what Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns went through in 2025.
The first is simple: don’t get so caught up in protecting Russell that you shrink what makes him dangerous.
Manning’s first start against Ohio State showed how tricky that balance can be. Through three quarters, he had only 38 passing yards before finishing 17-of-30 for 170 yards.
He also ran 10 times for 38 yards. Afterward, Sarkisian said he regretted not using more designed runs earlier.
Texas adjusted as the year went on, and Manning’s mobility became a bigger part of the run-pass-option game.
That matters for Alabama because Russell’s legs are one of his most underrated traits. Using that ability doesn’t mean making him reckless.
It can actually make the offense safer for him. When a quarterback can run, linebackers and safeties have to pause instead of flying downhill, and that opens up cleaner throwing windows and better numbers in the run game.
Last year under Ty Simpson, the Tide offense used RPO and zone-read concepts on just 10.1% of snaps, with the other 89.9% leaning heavily on the run game.
Russell’s dual-threat skill set could give Alabama a different kind of balance. His running ability can be part of the protection plan, not something the staff has to hide.
The second lesson: don’t expect Russell to clean up every issue on offense.
Manning’s first season also showed that even a talented young quarterback can only carry so much when the pieces around him aren’t stable. Texas had problems up front, and one of the roughest stretches came against Florida, when Manning was hit with 35 pressures and six sacks. The run game never consistently gave him the support that could have eased the burden.
That’s a useful warning for Alabama, especially with an offensive line trying to rebuild and get the run game back on track. If the line has problems, the scheme has to help.
If the run game stalls, the Tide need ways to keep Russell away from obvious passing downs. If pressure keeps showing up, DeBoer and Grubb have to build around the weaknesses instead of asking their young quarterback to solve everything himself.
The third lesson is maybe the most important one: don’t let the expectation of greatness get in the way of natural growth.
Manning entered 2025 carrying a massive load of hype, with talk of Heisman contention and a possible No. 1 overall draft future already swirling before he settled in as Texas’ full-time starter. That kind of attention makes every early mistake feel bigger than it really is. But as the season went on, he looked more comfortable, more composed and more in command.
Russell is walking into something similar. He has already drawn preseason Heisman buzz from several national outlets, and that kind of spotlight can turn a rough week into a loud one fast.
Alabama can’t let one bad game, or even a bad stretch, define how he is developed. Mistakes are coming.
That’s part of the deal.
What matters more is the learning curve. Is Russell reading defenses faster in October than he did in September?
Is he taking better care of the ball? Is he making decisions more quickly?
Is the offense getting more efficient?
The real measure isn’t where he begins. It’s where he ends.
That’s the value of the Manning experience for Alabama. It’s not a perfect template.
It’s a reminder that young quarterbacks need room to grow, even when the talent is obvious. DeBoer, Grubb and Ellis now have a chance to apply those lessons before the Tide run into the same kind of roadblocks.
The keys are in Russell’s hands. How smooth the drive is from here will depend on how well the staff prepares him for the road ahead in 2026 and beyond.
In Other News...
Alabama Could Suddenly Face A Former Tide Return Decision
A federal ruling on college football eligibility could ripple far beyond the courtroom and straight into roster planning, and Alabama is among the programs having to pay attention. The decision involving the 2022 high school class opens the door for a fifth season in 2026-27, creating another layer of uncertainty for coaches already trying to map out scholarships, depth charts and long-term personnel decisions.
Kalen DeBoer acknowledged the Tide are monitoring the situation, but there is no clear answer yet on how it will affect Alabamas future plans. The twist for a roster already built around constant movement is that eligibility shifts like this can change who is available, who can return and which positions may suddenly need to be rethought, even before the offseason really starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama's QB Decision Just Changed The Tide's Outlook
The quarterback battle in Tuscaloosa finally has a name attached to it, and it comes with immediate implications for Alabamas season opener against East Carolina on Sept. 5. Kalen DeBoer has settled on Keelon Russell as the starter, closing the door on a competition with Austin Mack and giving the Crimson Tide a clearer picture of how the offense will be built in the early going.
Now the focus shifts from the decision itself to what it means for Alabamas ceiling, and thats where the outside evaluations start to matter. Analyst Josh Pate and quarterbacks coach Bryan Ellis both weighed in on Russells skill set and why the staff landed where it did, leaving the Tide with a fresh sense of direction and just enough intrigue about how quickly the new starter can make the job look comfortable. [Read more 🡒]
Former Alabama RB Richard Young Faces Another Frustrating Setback At Colorado
Richard Youngs move to Colorado was supposed to give him a fresh start after transferring from Alabama, but the offseason has not made things easy. The running back has dealt with injury setbacks and spent significant time away from summer practice, leaving him behind in both conditioning and the day-to-day work of settling into a new offense.
Running backs coach Johnnie Mack said Young is still catching up mentally, even as he continues to make progress with the system. Colorado is not expecting an immediate role for him at the start of the 2026 season, but the door is still open for later if he can keep moving forward and put the slow start behind him. [Read more 🡒]