Alabama Freshman Quarterback Keelon Russell Talks Relationship with Simpson, Mack, and Future With Crimson Tide

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Alabama freshman quarterback Keelon Russell was one of the most sought-after prospects in the 2025 recruiting class for the Crimson Tide, being ranked as one of the top quarterbacks in the class. Russell chose the Crimson Tide, but has not seen the field much this season for Alabama, with Ty Simpson as the team's starting quarterback in his fourth season with the program.

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Russell, a 6-foot-3, 194-pound quarterback from Duncanville, Texas, has completed 11/15 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns this season. He's only appeared in two games this season for the Crimson Tide.

Russell was asked about his future by Matt Stahl of AL.

"Man, no, I'm 100% here," Russell told Stahl. "I'm worried about the Rose Bowl."

Russell competed with Austin Mack and Ty Simpson in the Tide's quarterback competition during the spring, summer, and fall camps. What did he take away from his time competing for the Tide's QB1 position?

"It was a fun experience, just going out there and playing football for the most part," Russell said. "I knew I was lacking a lot of things, coming in as a freshman, understanding this is what I gotta be as a freshman to become a starter.

"I can tell myself this: I was far away from the things that I needed to become to become a starter. Just competing with those two guys made me better. They made me achieve so many goals that I wanted to achieve. They made me a more mentally stable quarterback, and just me understanding who I am as a quarterback."

Russell will compete for the starting quarterback job at Alabama again, should incumbent starter Ty Simpson declare for the NFL draft after the season is over.

Alabama will face No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Thursday, January 1, 2026, in Pasadena, California. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. CT.

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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_.