Where Have Mack & Russell Improved the Most?

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama returned to the practice field on Thursday for the Tide's second practice of fall camp, giving the Crimson Tide's coaching staff a second day to see where their team has grown and developed following a summer of conditioning and player-led practices.

Get our free mobile app

Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb seems pleased with the progress that Austin Mack and Keelon Russell have made over the summer as the two compete for Alabama's quarterback vacancy.

"Just an extension of the spring and summer, both guys are growing," Grubb said when asked what he saw from the quarterbacks so far. "I think the attention to detail right now is on the things that they know they gotta work on; each one of them has different strengths and weaknesses. But be very similar to timing last year, and that we've done every year back to 2021 at Fresno State. So same mechanics on that, and the guys will be getting equal opportunity and doing a good job.

"The summer, I'd say Keelon did a better job taking care of the football in the summer than he did in the spring. And then with Austin, I thought he was better on the run out of pocket. I thought he really grew in that regard," Grubb said.

Russell and Mack both took major strides in the two areas with the most questions. If the quarterback competition was close before, it may have gotten even tighter now.

While an ideal timeline that Grubb had mentioned previously is to name a starter after the first scrimmage, Grubb said it may take both fall camp scrimmages for the Tide's coaching staff to be certain who should get the starting nod.

"I think we probably will. I think we probably will. Just younger guys making sure we got every ounce of data we need. But if it's the first scrimmage, it's the first scrimmage," Grubb said. "Obviously, the longer your team can have their starter named, the better off you are. We don't worry about the other teams and who they know it is or isn't. We just want to make sure we make the right decision."

Alabama returns to the practice field on Friday, August 7, and is set to open the season on Saturday, September 5, against East Carolina.

Listen to Ryan Grubb's full press conference here!

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_.