Ryan Grubb's early assessment of Alabama's QB battle isn't giving much away

Deciding on the right quarterback to take over the reins of your offense can be a lot like picking the right conductor for an orchestra. You can have a musician who's been in the pit for years, knows every note by heart, and can anticipate every cue, or you can have a newer player who learns quickly, reads the room perfectly, and brings fresh energy that lifts the entire ensemble.

For Alabama football, that's the kind of calculation offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb is making as he evaluates the QB battle between Austin Mack and Keelon Russell this spring. 

This highly anticipated battle has had a lot of Crimson Tide fans and national media buzzing since January, when former Alabama QB Ty Simpson announced his intentions to take his talents to the NFL after one season at the helm in Tuscaloosa. Since then, Mack and Russell have both been under a microscope as the redshirt junior and sophomore passers put their bids in to be the next starter under center. 

Many thought after seeing Mack take over for Simpson when he went down with a cracked rib in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day during the Tide's embarrassing loss to the eventual National Champion Indiana Hoosiers, that the 6-foot-6, 235-pounder may have the early nod in the competition, but if you'd recently asked Grubb, then that might not be the case. Grubb made this evident on Thursday as he described the battle as "pretty even" at this point when giving an update on the current polls of the competition to reporters at the conclusion of Alabama's third spring practice.

Ryan Grubb describes Alabama's QB battle between Austin Mack & Keelon Russell as "pretty even" through 3 spring practices

"Obviously, Austin's in his third year in the system, so you'd think just as far as ease and being able to run and have control, that should be advantage Austin," Grubb said. "But I would say Keelon's extremely intelligent and that has not been an issue, it's not a limiting factor for him. But at the end of the day, it's about who has the most production, who's the best guy on the field, taking care of the football, getting it down the field, scoring touchdowns. And both those guys are very capable leaders, so I think it's pretty even. But I mean, certainly the guy that has ease in being able to run that, especially with so many younger faces around them. They just have to be able to make everybody right around them." 

Grubbs early assessments are definitely noteworthy when you consider the fact that both Mack and Russell have limited experience under their respective belts. Neither QB has made a start in their careers, but both saw action in garbage time last fall. Mack completed 24-of-32 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns, along with 30 rushing yards, against lesser competition like ULM and Eastern Illinois for a passer rating of 155.47 percent. Russell followed right behind him in those games, when the 6-foot-3, 201-pound passer completed 11-of-15 of his passing attempts for 143 yards and two touchdowns, along with 17 yards on the ground for a rating of 197.41 percent.

In those appearances, Mack showed consistency and comfort, while Russell flashed high efficiency and his big-play potential. With that being stated, Grubb's early call when labeling this audition "pretty even" is fair, in my opinion. I feel this way because both quarterbacks are incredibly gifted, who Grubb and Kalen DeBoer more than likely believe they can win with on any given Saturday. 

At the end of the day, though, this competition isn't just about stats or past experience. It's about who can orchestrate the offense the best by keeping the other ten players on tempo, while making the right decision when the pressure and spotlights are on. Which is why, ultimately, this spring battle will come down to who can consistently inspire confidence in the coaching staff and their teammates to execute the best product of Alabama's offense. 

Until then, Alabama fans and national media have to find patience in the midst of speculation as they watch two talented quarterbacks further sharpen their tools as Russell and Mack both vie for their opportunity to lead the Crimson Tide this fall.