It almost feels as if ninety percent of every Alabama football story is about Keelon Russell. Mark me down as one of the perpetrators of the sudden obsession. Even worse, we're ignoring Nick Saban, who taught that 'rat poison' can be a player or a team's greatest threat.
On the other hand, going back to the Bear Bryant era, almost every new QB starter and many potential starters have elicited unbounded exuberance. None of them, of course, were the Second Coming, but relative to college football, some were close.
To borrow an old phrase from late Fed Chair Alan Greenspan, 'irrational exuberance' is a warning sign. From a football perspective, Alabama Offensive Coordinator Ryan Grubb knows this as well as anyone. Keelon Russell is a sophomore with a 37-play college resume. It will take at least 10 times that number of snaps before Keelon flattens out his learning curve.
An insult to Keelon Russell
Ryan Grubb believes the sizzle about Keelon's athletic ability, though accurate, is somewhat of an insult: " He certainly has athletic ability, but, you know, I told him if that's all they ever say about you, that would be an insult ... I would never want that stereotype for him that he ends up just being a runaround guy back there. And he's not. I mean, he's an incredibly bright kid that understands pretty complex read progressions for a redshirt freshman."
Russell is not a redshirt freshman because that classification no longer exists, but speaking about his sophomore starter, Grubb is correct about everything else. Alabama football insiders with practice access have been praising Keelon since his first spring in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide has had three quarterbacks who, from day one on campus, had a 'Wow' factor: Joe Namath, Tua Tagovailoa, and Bryce Young. Keelon Russell is the fourth.
The Alabama coaching staff will not ask too much of Keelon too soon. Crimson Tide fans should at least try to do the same, though few of us will have the power to temper our enthusiasm.
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