On Saturday morning, Yea Alabama, the school’s NIL collective, announced that former five-star Keelon Russell will start at quarterback in Week 1for Alabama.
Russell beat out senior Austin Mack, a former Washington transfer headed into his third season with the Crimson Tide.
Spurred on by a great spring and A-Day, Russell pulled away from Mack as Fall Camp proceeded. This begs the question — where does the senior go from here?
Mack and Russell have always appeared to have a great relationship with each other on-and-off the field, supporting each other in practice, the media and even spending time together at other Alabama athletic events.
Being a great teammate is the immediate next step for Mack — supporting his friend and teammate during his first starts in college will show a lot about his character and leadership.
He also needs to stay ready for his opportunity, no matter if it comes in garbage time or in relief of an injured Russell.
Serving as a backup is nothing new for Mack. Despite being just 20 years old when the season kicks off on Sept. 5 against East Carolina, this will be his fourth season of college football.
He reclassified after starting for just one season of varsity high school football and enrolled at Washington, serving as the third-string quarterback behind Heisman finalist and first-round NFL draft pick Michael Penix Jr. and Dylan Morris in 2023. In 2024, he sat behind Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson during his first season at Alabama, and served as the second-stringer behind Simpson last season.
However, this is a much different situation than years past, being his first legitimate chance to take the reins in Tuscaloosa. A tale of loyalty to head coach Kalen DeBoer, following him from Washington to Alabama, that doesn’t look to have a nice happy ending.
Jalen Hurts is the best example Mack can follow.
After losing the starting job to Tua Tagovailoa in 2018, Hurts rode the bench after being a two-year starter almost all season. Then his moment came.
Tagovailoa went down with an injury in the SEC Championship with Alabama down seven to Georgia in the fourth quarter. Hurts came in ready for his moment and led the Crimson Tide to a 35-28 win, showing the heart he had for his team and propelling his stock as a player.
That offseason, Hurts transferred to Oklahoma, where he was the Heisman runner-up to LSU’s Joe Burrow in 2019. He was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he has had a very successful career that includes a Super Bowl.
While there is no guarantee Mack will get the same opportunity as Hurts, it’s undeniable his stock will be high in the transfer portal, especially if he stays the course.
Standing at a massive 6-foot-6 and232 pounds with a very strong arm, Mack is the prototypical NFL prospect that will get a look from teams across the country.
Schools such as Texas Tech, Miami, North Carolina State, UCLA, Arizona and Washington could all be in the market for a quarterback when the transfer portal opens in December due to NFL Draft decisions, portal entries and this being some players’ final year of eligibility.
“I know I’m ready for the moment,” Mack said ahead of the Rose Bowl in January. “I know I’m ready as a quarterback, so whenever I get the opportunity to kind of just show what I can do.”
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