Alabama Still Has No Starting Quarterback After First Fall Camp Scrimmage

Alabama football has a Ty Simpson-sized hole at quarterback and, as of Thursday, still no idea who's filling it.

The Crimson Tide ran their first fall camp scrimmage of the 2026 preseason inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saban Field, a two-hour session closed to media and open only to a small group of boosters. Afterward, head coach Kalen DeBoer was asked point blank if he felt any closer to naming a starter between senior Austin Mack and sophomore Keelon Russell.

His answer: no.

"I don't feel closer," DeBoer said, according to Sports Illustrated and Tide 100.9.

What actually happened on the field

According to Tide 100.9's Wyatt Fulton, Mack threw three touchdowns during the scrimmage but also opened with an interception on the first play, one that bounced off receiver Marshall Pritchett's hands. Russell threw one touchdown, a pass to Ryan Coleman-Williams, and also had an interception.

DeBoer told reporters the offense started slow and turned the ball over a couple times before finding its rhythm, while the defense set the tone early. He wasn't pinning the slow start on either quarterback specifically.

"So the slow start really wasn't about one player, one position group, but both of them really, as the scrimmage went along, got in their rhythm," DeBoer said, per Tide 100.9. "The challenge to them now would just be starting faster every single time we have these game-like scrimmages and practices."

On3's Pete Nakos reported, via sources who watched the scrimmage, that Russell was "making plays" and had moments where he "dazzles," including his ability to extend plays with his legs. One source told On3 that Russell looked like a "stud." Mack, by contrast, was described as consistent day after day rather than flashy, according to Nakos's sourcing.

The head coach isn't tipping a leader. The buzz Nakos is reporting comes from unnamed sources watching practice, not from the staff.

Grubb is watching something else entirely

Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, speaking to reporters earlier in the week per BamaHammer, said the competition has become an "even battle" on physical talent alone, so he's now grading something less visible than arm strength: command.

"I want to know what it feels like when the chips are down a little bit in practice," Grubb said. "Maybe we had a three-and-out in move-the-ball. What did they look like, and how are their teammates responding to them? You can't have the rah-rah guy starting if he can't throw the freaking ball. But I'm definitely looking for command."

Grubb said he's now weighing decision-making, completion percentage, turnovers, and explosive plays as tiebreakers, on top of whether a quarterback plays like he believes he's going to make the throw.

The experience argument

Former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, one of the most decorated passers in program history, argued Mack deserves more rope given his three years in DeBoer's system dating back to Washington.

"Austin Mack is going to have a lot more freedom and leeway to kind of see the bigger picture and do what he wants," McCarron said, according to tdalabamamag.com. "Keelon I understand is going into his second year, but not being thrown into the fire a ton, when you're playing under those lights against SEC competition, it's different... I would think just from my experience, it's got to be two different thought processes for these quarterbacks."

Neither quarterback has actually started a college game. Mack has completed 26 of 35 passes for 267 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions in mop-up duty over two seasons, including a relief appearance in the Rose Bowl where he led Alabama's only scoring drive after Simpson exited, according to Newsweek and lastwordonsports.com. Russell has thrown just 15 passes in his career, completing 11 for 143 yards and two touchdowns, plus a 20-of-32, 229-yard, four-touchdown showing in this year's spring game.

Why this matters beyond fall camp

Alabama has produced four first-round quarterbacks since 2020: Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, Bryce Young, and now Ty Simpson, taken 13th overall by the Los Angeles Rams in April after throwing for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns in his only season as a starter. Those three prior transitions produced a combined 38-4 record and two national title game appearances, according to lastwordonsports.com.

But every one of those previous quarterbacks had more game experience walking into the job than Mack or Russell has now, and every transition before this one happened with Nick Saban on the sideline.

Alabama returns to practice Sunday, August 16, and holds its second scrimmage of fall camp the following week. The season opener against East Carolina is set for Saturday, September 5. DeBoer has given no timeline for naming a starter.