Sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell has the Alabama Crimson Tide rolling at 5-0 to start the year. Their biggest test yet comes Saturday, when No. 2 Georgia travels to Tuscaloosa for another clash between two SEC rivals and powerhouse college football programs. Speaking on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Friday, legendary former Alabama coach Nick Saban had high praise for the young quarterback.
"The maturity that he plays with and he shows for a guy that’s a young player who’s only started in what four or five games now is pretty phenomenal to me,” Saban said. I always called Bryce Young a point guard playing quarterback. This guy is very similar.
Knows when to scramble, keeps his eyes downfield, makes plays running it, throwing it, extending plays." "This is a guy that has special instincts. I always say processing is the most important thing for the quarterback. This guy can do that very well, and he can extend plays.
And I think that has helped create a dynamic on this team that is probably Kalen DeBoer’s best team that he’s had in the three years that he’s been here because this team has really come together, I think, in a positive way." More news: Arch Manning Gets Sobering Message Ahead of Red River Rivalry Russell was a consensus five-star recruit and the No. 2 quarterback prospect in the 2025 class, signing with Alabama over offers from SMU, Ole Miss, Cal, Baylor and others. But he appeared in only two games last year while backing up Ty Simpson, and he entered this season in a quarterback competition with Austin Mack. There’s no turning back now.
He has completed 71.2% of his passes for 1,414 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions, along with 184 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. Most importantly, the Tide haven’t lost yet, marking Alabama’s first 5-0 start under DeBoer. More news: Paul Finebaum Points to Kirby Smart Stat That Should Worry Georgia Fans More news: Multiple Power 4 Teams Facing Significant Punishment Amid NCAA Investigation The comparison to Young is interesting.
Now the franchise quarterback of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, Young spent three years at Alabama under Saban. Like Russell, he was a backup as a freshman, behind Mac Jones, when the Tide went on to win a national title. The very next season, Young’s first as the starter, he threw for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns with seven interceptions across 15 games, completing 66.9% of his passes and winning the Heisman Trophy.
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