Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Austin Mack is still not ready to start in his fourth year under Kalen DeBoer, and third in Tuscaloosa, after coming over from the Washington Huskies via the transfer portal in 2024.
As AL.com's Matt Stahl noted, Mack was thoroughly outplayed by redshirt freshman Keelon Russell at the Mullet A-Day spring football game on Saturday from Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Per Stahl, "Alabama’s offensive line did not help Mack as much as it might have throughout the scrimmage. However, the quarterback could have done better to help himself. Mack looked indecisive at times, holding the ball far too long at various moments. He also did not opt to run a few times when it might have been the correct decision."
Kalen DeBoer's ability to develop QBs is questionable
Some may see Russell taking the lead in the QB1 competition in Tuscaloosa as a good thing, but others are rightfully worried about the prospect of a player with 15 pass attempts and just one year in Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb's system taking over in a make-or-break campaign.
DeBoer clearly wasn't able to develop Mack in three years, two of those while benefitting from the University of Alabama's vast resources at their world-class facilities. Considering he inherited Ty Simpson and Jalen Milroe from Nick Saban, and struck gold in the transfer portal with Michael Penix Jr. while with Washington, it's fair to question his ability to develop QBs in general.
Maybe developing QBs beyond the 2026 season is a needless venture for DeBoer and Co. anyway. The SEC has proven time and again to be too tough for his teams to withstand, and plenty of West Coast jobs would likely love to offer DeBoer the chance to return where he belongs and where his offensive style is the best fit.
Of course, Russell could dash this narrative with a strong year. Unfortunately for DeBoer, Saban set the standards so high that Russell will have to be exceptionally great to squash it anytime soon.