So far, things are off to a flying start for the Alabama Crimson Tide at spring camp. The program got things started on Monday for the first session of 2025. As you might have been able to guess, there was a ton of attention going to 5-star signee Keelon Russell.
The true freshman quarterback graduated high school early and is on campus getting his first taste of college action. Russell took the field on Monday and while he wasn't in pads and was rocking shorts, he still has people talking thanks to the kind of ball he throws.
It's still early and there's a lot he still needs to learn about the program. However, the early word around campus is that Russell, pushing to win the starting job in 2025, is impressing both his new teammates and head man Kalen DeBoer. The second-year Alabama HC indeed has liked what he's seen out of the youngster since he made the move from Texas to Tuscaloosa:
What Kalen DeBoer said about 'elite' Keelon Russell after first Alabama practicehttps://t.co/ecd5Eo20Xg
— Bama247 (@Bama_247) March 3, 2025
Kalen DeBoer is liking what he's seeing out of Keelon Russell thus far
"He's up there. He certainly is," DeBoer said of where Russell ranks among freshman QBs he has coaches via Bama247. "He's got a long way to go because I think that's the way he looks at it. He's excited about what this growth's going to be even during this spring. But his ceiling and what he accomplished through what you can see on the high school film, he's a pretty elite quarterback coming in as a high school senior, current freshman for us."
The hype is real surrounding this kid, but as DeBoer noted early on in the quote above, there's still a long road to go for him. Both Ty Simpson and Austin Mack are also pushing for the QB1 job, which will be a three-man battle from now until fall camp wraps up.
DeBoer is going to have a monstrous decision to make, as the 2024 campaign was unacceptable for him. Alabama had an off season in DeBoer's debut campaign with the SEC powerhouse. There's talk now that DeBoer could be on his way out of town if the Tide don't reach the CFP next winter.
The players in the locker room are going to do everything they can to wipe away that speculation by posting a huge season. It goes without saying, but there's also going to be a ton of pressure on whoeever runs the offense for DeBoer. If it ends up being Russell, he'll need to play beyond his years, but people across the country are ready to see what this kid is made of.