newsweek
Alabama's sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell has guided the Crimson Tide to a perfect 5-0 start this season. The team's toughest challenge yet arrives Saturday when No. 2 Georgia visits Tuscaloosa for another showdown between SEC powerhouses.
During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Friday, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban offered glowing praise for the young signal-caller. Saban remarked, "The maturity that he plays with and he shows for a guy that's a young player who's only started in what, four or five games now, is pretty phenomenal to me." He continued, "His instincts as a player, and his ability to make plays. He is a playmaker. I always called Bryce Young a point guard playing quarterback. This guy is very similar. Knows when to scramble, keeps his eyes downfield, makes plays running it, throwing it, extending plays."
Saban added, "This is a guy that has special instincts. I always say processing is the most important thing for the quarterback. This guy can do that very well, and he can extend plays. And I think that has helped create a dynamic on this team that is probably Kalen DeBoer's best team that he's had in the three years that he's been here because this team has really come together, I think, in a positive way."
Russell was a consensus five-star recruit and the No. 2 quarterback prospect in the 2025 class, choosing Alabama over offers from SMU, Ole Miss, Cal, Baylor, and others. However, he saw action in only two games last year as a backup to Ty Simpson and entered this season in a quarterback competition with Austin Mack.
Now, there's no looking back. Russell has completed 71.2% of his passes for 1,414 yards, 11 touchdowns, and two interceptions, along with 184 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. Most importantly, the Tide remain undefeated, marking Alabama's first 5-0 start under DeBoer.
The comparison to Young is intriguing. Now the franchise quarterback for the NFL's Carolina Panthers, Young spent three years at Alabama under Saban. Like Russell, he was a backup as a freshman, behind Mac Jones, when the Tide won a national title. In his first season as the starter, Young threw for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns with seven interceptions across 15 games, completing 66.9% of his passes and winning the Heisman Trophy.
Young was more of a pure pocket passer than Russell, who does more damage with his feet. But if Russell follows the same trajectory, he could collect some hardware by the end of this season and potentially have Alabama contending for another national title.
Originally reported by newsweek.