Keelon Russell made his first career start for Alabama on Saturday, and while the freshman quarterback had plenty to clean up, head coach Kalen DeBoer saw enough to make one thing clear: the Crimson Tide may have a special weapon under center.
Russell helped lead Alabama to a dominant 48-10 victory over East Carolina in his first start, showing off the combination of arm talent and athleticism that made him such a highly regarded quarterback coming out of high school.
There were some youthful moments along the way, particularly when it came to pre-snap operation and knowing when to protect himself, but DeBoer believes those are things that can be cleaned up.
What Alabama cannot easily teach is the instinctive playmaking ability Russell showed throughout the afternoon.
Kalen DeBoer Wants Keelon Russell to Be Smarter With His Legs
One of the biggest areas DeBoer wants Russell to improve is knowing when to slide and when to get out of bounds.
Russell was aggressive as a runner, which is part of what makes him such a difficult quarterback to defend, but DeBoer emphasized that the freshman has to understand the bigger picture and protect himself over the course of a long season.
“I think that’s part of him being able to understand college football,” DeBoer said. “He needs to know those moments when he can do that, and know when the game is on the line and you got to have a first down.”
DeBoer liked what he saw from Russell using his feet, but pointed to one play along the sideline where the quarterback potentially could have gotten out of bounds after picking up a first down.
The message is simple: Alabama wants Russell to remain aggressive, but it also needs him to understand when protecting himself is more important than picking up a few additional yards.
“We got to make sure he’s playing for the long haul,” DeBoer said.
That balance could become increasingly important as Russell faces SEC defenses later in the season.
Alabama Saw Russell Settle In as the Game Went On
DeBoer also expects Russell to improve on some operational issues.
The Crimson Tide burned some timeouts because of pre-snap issues, and DeBoer acknowledged other details could have been cleaner.
But rather than viewing those mistakes as major concerns, DeBoer seemed to see them as part of the learning process for a quarterback making his first collegiate start.
“I think he got better with those things as the game went on,” DeBoer said.
Russell also had opportunities to run earlier in the game, including situations where he could have used his legs instead of forcing a throw.
Eventually, though, the game began to slow down for the freshman.
As East Carolina’s defense began paying more attention to Russell’s ability to run, he started finding opportunities downfield.
DeBoer specifically pointed to a completion to Ryan Coleman-Williams over the middle in the third quarter as an example of Russell beginning to understand how the defense was reacting to him.
“He started getting in the flow, kind of figuring out how he can move the chains, how he can be a weapon,” DeBoer said.
That may have been one of the most encouraging aspects of Russell’s first start.
DeBoer Has No Concerns About Russell’s Poise
For all of the things Russell needs to improve, DeBoer was particularly pleased with the quarterback’s poise.
Playing quarterback at Alabama comes with enormous expectations, and Russell was making his first career start in front of a packed Bryant-Denny Stadium.
According to DeBoer, the moment did not appear too big for him.
“I think his poise when the bullets are flying is really good,” DeBoer said.
That poise allowed Russell to rely on his instincts and make plays rather than becoming overwhelmed by the situation.
DeBoer did acknowledge that Russell cannot afford to waste plays or timeouts, but he believes those are correctable issues.
“Having some urgency on it for him, I think, will be the case,” DeBoer said. “I have no doubt that he’ll take care of that.”
Kalen DeBoer Sees a Massive Ceiling for Keelon Russell
Perhaps the most significant takeaway from DeBoer’s comments was just how much confidence Alabama’s head coach has in Russell’s potential.
DeBoer believes Russell’s ability to threaten defenses with both his arm and his legs can open up the entire Alabama offense.
🏈 11-17 for 182 yards 🏈 5-9 for 132 yards on throws downfield for 10+ air yards 🏈 9 carries for 54 yards and 1 TD
He is the first Alabama QB to have at least 175 passing yards and 50 rushing yards in a half since Jalen
“Balancing that with keeping the eyes down the field, I think he’s just a tough guy to defend,” DeBoer said.
That’s exactly what Alabama hopes Russell can become.
His mobility gives the Crimson Tide another way to move the chains, particularly on first and second down when a play does not develop exactly as planned.
And when defenses begin dedicating more attention to Russell, it could create even more opportunities for Alabama’s talented group of skill-position players.
“We got the other great skill players around him and an offensive line that I think will continue to get better and build on today,” DeBoer said.
Then came perhaps the most intriguing part of DeBoer’s assessment.
“Very hopeful that we can be a complete offense, and it starts with your quarterback,” he said. “We’ve always been quarterback-driven by what we can do, and I think the sky is the limit for him, for sure.”
That’s quite the endorsement after just one career start.
Russell certainly has plenty to clean up before Alabama gets into the heart of SEC play. But if Saturday’s performance was only the beginning, DeBoer clearly believes the Crimson Tide’s new starting quarterback has the tools to become something special.
Kalen DeBoer Reveals What Could Make Keelon Russell So Difficult to Stop