Alabama’s quarterback picture for Saturday at Vanderbilt has shifted fast.
Just a day after Keelon Russell was listed as probable on an availability report, On3’s Pete Nakos and Chris Low reported that the freshman will now be a game-time decision against the Commodores. That leaves the Crimson Tide waiting until closer to kickoff to know who will be under center in Nashville.
If Russell can’t go, Austin Mack is in line to start. The senior backup has picked up more first-team reps this week, according to the report, and Alabama would turn to the veteran if Russell is unavailable.
Mack lost the starting quarterback battle to Russell this offseason, but he does bring experience to the job. He has appeared in nine games for Alabama in his career, with his biggest run coming in last year’s Rose Bowl loss to Indiana. After Ty Simpson left that game with an injury, Mack stepped in and completed 11 of 16 passes for 103 yards.
Kalen DeBoer knows what he has in Mack, too. The head coach brought him to Tuscaloosa from Washington when he took over Alabama in 2024, and that familiarity with the system could matter if Mack is asked to steer the offense.
Alabama enters the game at 7-2 overall and 5-2 in the SEC, and the stakes are clear: the Crimson Tide need a win over Vanderbilt to stay in strong position for a trip to the final SEC Championship game. Kickoff is set for 12:45 p.m. ET on Saturday on SEC Network.
In Other News...
Former Vanderbilt Receiver's Legal Case Took An Unexpected Turn
A legal case involving former Vanderbilt wide receiver Kayleb Barnett took a notable turn this week, with the Davidson County District Attorneys Office dropping the charges that had been filed against him. Barnett had been facing allegations of aggravated assault by strangulation, identity theft and false identification after his October 11 arrest, and he was set for a court hearing on November 13 before the case changed course.
Barnetts arrest had already carried football consequences, as he was dismissed from Vanderbilts program for violating team and university standards. For the Commodores, it closes one difficult chapter around a player who had once been part of the roster, even as the details behind the original allegations had already cast a shadow over his departure. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Still Draws Belief From The Win That Changed Everything
For Vanderbilt, the memory that still hangs over the program is the 2024 upset of Alabama, the kind of breakthrough that did more than fill a highlight reel. It gave Clark Leas team a proof point it had never really had before, a night that players and coaches have kept circling back to as the moment the Commodores started seeing themselves differently.
The ripple effect has been impossible to miss since then. The win helped push Vanderbilt into bowl eligibility and became part of the foundation for a program-record 10-win season in 2025, which is why the reflection around it still matters now. Lea and several players have talked about how one result can alter a programs identity, and for Vanderbilt, the bigger question is how long that belief can keep carrying over. [Read more 🡒]
Martel Hight Gives Vanderbilt A New Offensive Question Down The Stretch
Martel Hights move from cornerback to wide receiver has gone from an intriguing experiment to a real roster adjustment for Vanderbilt as the season moves into its final stretch. Hight had already been getting looks on offense earlier in the year, and head coach Clark Lea has now confirmed the switch is permanent, with the staff betting that Hights speed and versatility can give the Commodores another useful piece on that side of the ball.
For Vanderbilt, the appeal is obvious: a player who came into the program on defense now gives the offense another way to create mismatches and add depth without having to wait for the offseason. The transition also speaks to how the staff is trying to maximize every available skill set late in the year, and Hights expanded role adds one more wrinkle for opponents to prepare for as the Commodores keep searching for answers. [Read more 🡒]