Keelon Russell, other young talent could be Kalen DeBoer's saving grace at Alabama

Kalen DeBoer's tenure at Alabama hasn't gone the way anyone hoped through 15 games. The second-year coach has already found himself squarely on the hot seat, at least amongst Crimson Tide fans.

But Saturday night's 73-0 blowout win over UL Monroe did more than just inspire a little bit of confidence in the fanbase that maybe this team has turned the corner after a disappointing season-opening loss to Florida State. It also showed that the future is bright in Tuscaloosa, thanks to the first glimpse of star freshman QB Keelon Russell, and other young talent that shined in Tuscaloosa.

DeBoer has recruited at a high level. Russell, the No. 2 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class, is the headliner of those efforts. He saw his first action in an Alabama uniform against the Warhawks, displaying the raw talent that made him such a coveted prospect coming out of high school.

Russell completed 4-of-6 pass attempts for 65 yards and two touchdowns. His second touchdown pass was the most impressive, connecting with walk-on WR MJ Chirgwin on a 20-yard strike:

Just a flick of the wrist and the ball explodes out of Russell's hand on a perfect rope to the wide receiver for a touchdown. With some players, you can tell quickly they're going to be special. Alabama fans remember that feeling when they saw Tua Tagovailoa and Bryce Young get in for garbage-time snaps as freshmen. Russell gave Tide fans that same feeling.

Some folks are just born to throw the football. Russell is one of those folks.

Lotzeir Brooks and other Tide freshmen showed flashes of brilliance

In place of an injured Ryan Williams, it wasn't Rico Scott or Cole Adams or even Jalen Hale who started. It was true freshman Lotzeir Brooks. It didn't take long to see why.

Brooks made plays right away, turning a pop pass into a nine-yard reception on Alabama's opening drive. He ended up second on the team in receiving yards behind Germie Bernard, catching four passes for 58 yards.

Brooks is proof of DeBoer and his staff's ability to evaluate. He was highly underrated as a recruit, but he is turning into an instant contributor in Tuscaloosa. Russell's meteoric rise in the rankings following his flip to Alabama is another.

Freshman OL Michaell Carroll got into the game at right tackle and performed well. Redshirt freshman RB Kevin Riley got the start and led the team with 11 carries, which he turned into 69 yards. He also caught six passes for 45 yards, finishing with over 100 all-purpose yards.

Late in the 4th quarter, true freshman RB AK Dear showed his explosive play ability, busting a 56-yard touchdown to throw some salt in the wound for the Warhawks.

Defensively, young guys like QB Reese, Dijon Lee, Steve Bolo Mboumoua, Ivan Taylor, and Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., among others, performed at high levels when their number was called.

There's a lot of young talent on this roster. There's more on the way. Alabama currently holds the No. 4-ranked class in the 247 composite.

The young talent on the roster now - and the incoming talent in the 2026 class - show a promising future in Tuscaloosa under Kalen DeBoer. It could ultimately be the saving grace for the Tide's second-year head coach, as long as this season doesn't get too far off the rails.

But if the team that blasted UL Monroe shows up the rest of the season, the hot seat talk will cool down quickly, regardless.