Alabama Fall Camp Scrimmage 2 Preview

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama Crimson Tide is set to hold its second scrimmage of fall camp on Thursday, August 20, and Tide 100.9 is tracking several storylines as Alabama continues to finalize a depth chart ahead of the September 5 season opener against East Carolina.

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Any Progress on the Quarterback Battle?

Head coach Kalen DeBoer is set to address the media immediately following the scrimmage, and one of the first questions he will get is: What did the quarterbacks look like, and are you closer to naming a starter?

After the first scrimmage, DeBoer told reporters that Alabama was "no closer" to naming a starter, but on Monday, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said the Crimson Tide was "close" to naming a starter. I'm not calling either coach's bluff, but with 16 days until the first game, Alabama would like to have a starter named sooner rather than later to get the starter full-time reps with the first-team offense to build chemistry. If the Tide is close to naming a starter, could we get an answer on Thursday morning?

Austin Mack reportedly had three touchdowns in the first scrimmage last week, while Keelon Russell only tossed one, but led three touchdown drives. Both quarterbacks had an interception. Has either quarterback begun to separate themself in the competition? According to people in attendance last Thursday, Russell has the "it" factor that is so difficult to quantify. Whichever quarterback has begun to separate, he'll need to extend the lead on Thursday to lock up the quarterback competition before week one begins.

Make no mistake, we'll see both quarterbacks against East Carolina in week one, but will the starter have a short leash if he doesn't separate during camp?

Is the Offensive Line Improving?

After last Thursday, those in attendance made it sound like Alabama's offensive line had a pretty rough scrimmage. Is the offensive line still struggling, or was Alabama's defensive line that good? It's a difficult question to ponder, but one that we might be able to glean an answer to based on what happens on Thursday in scrimmage No. 2. Typically, the defense is ahead of the offense in the first scrimmage, but the offense fires back with a vengeance in the second. Will that be the case on Thursday morning?

Alabama's offensive success will be fully reliant on how the offensive line looks. Three positions are locked up with Jackson Lloyd at left tackle, Racin Delgatty at center, and Michael Carroll at right guard. Beyond that, Mal Waldrep Jr. appeared to have a firm grasp on the left guard job before William Sanders 'flipped a switch' and has now made that competition noteworthy, leading into Alabama's second scrimmage. Similarly, at right tackle, Mississippi State transfer Jayvin James has led all through spring practice and fall camp, but Texas transfer Nick Brooks has stacked consistent days, making right tackle a tough competition as well. Last week, Kalen DeBoer mentioned the continuity along the offensive line rotation. Will that change during the second scrimmage after the competition along the offensive line tightened this week?

Can the Running Backs Create Explosives?

One of the biggest issues in Alabama's run game in 2025 was a lack of explosive runs. While the offensive line was a major contributing factor, a revolving door at running back and poor injury luck hindered any of the Tide's tailbacks from getting into a rhythm, with Jam Miller, Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley, and Richard Young all logging starts last season. Miller, Hill, Riley, and Young also dealt with injuries throughout the season, with Richard Young seeing just four total touches after the third game. With Miller off to the NFL and Young transferring to Colorado, Alabama added two electric freshmen in EJ Crowell and Trae'shawn Brown while retaining Hill, Riley, and AK Dear, who had the Tide's longest rush of the season last year with a 56-yard score against ULM.

However, Dear and Crowell are both currently sidelined, with Dear set to miss roughly six weeks and Crowell nursing an injury that kept him out for most of spring. Can Alabama generate explosive plays with the guys still in that room? Freshman Trae'shawn Brown continues to generate buzz with his shiftiness, while Hill and Riley have led the Tide's running back rotation during media viewing at practice. Can the three of them, alongside App State transfer Khalifa Keith, carry the water for the running back room?

Alabama's second scrimmage of fall camp is scheduled to start around 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, with head coach Kalen DeBoer set to address the media afterward. The first game of the 2026 season is scheduled for Saturday, September 5, when Alabama hosts East Carolina.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.