New Delhi, Aug. 22 -- Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer has made his choice for the 2026 season. Two weeks before the Crimson Tide open against East Carolina, the program named sophomore Keelon Russell the starting quarterback ahead of Austin Mack.

The decision ends one of the more closely watched position battles of fall camp. Russell, a former five-star prospect and the 2024 National Gatorade Player of the Year, becomes the first quarterback DeBoer recruited as a five-star to take over the offense. He steps into the role previously held by Ty Simpson, another highly rated recruit from the 2022 cycle.

Russell arrived in Tuscaloosa with massive expectations after flipping his commitment from SMU on June 4, 2024. That move marked a major early ...