Greg McElroy reacts to Keelon Russell winning Alabama QB job
By Jacob Moss
Published:
The Alabama Crimson Tide made headlines late last week when head coach Kalen DeBoer officially announced that uber-talented redshirt freshman quarterback Keelon Russell had been named the starter for the Tide under center.
This news came after a lengthy position battle with former Washington Huskies backup Austin Mack, who followed DeBoer to Alabama when he officially took the head job in Tuscaloosa a couple of years back.
Former national championship-winning quarterback for the Tide and current ESPN analyst Greg McElroy reacted to the news of Russel earning that starting job on a recent episode of the Always College Football podcast, saying that his big-play ability was what really separated him from Mack and earned him the role.
“People in the building will tell you that he makes plays,” McElroy said. “Keelon Russell wouldn’t be denied. He just went out there and he took it. He just continued to make big play, after big play, after big play… The reason why he won the job is because he scares you to death on every single play.”
Like our coverage? Make SDS a preferred source in your searches!
RELATED: Looking to trade on college football? Check out our guide to where Polymarket is legal!
Russell’s elite intangibles have been well known in Alabama circles since before he ever set foot on campus. He was the second-ranked player in the entire country in the 2025 recruiting class, and earned the highly coveted Elite 11 Finals MVP heading into his senior year of high school.
Crimson Tide fans and analysts alike have been patiently waiting for the day they finally got to see Russell take the reins of DeBoer’s offense, and McElroy’s description of his electric play-making ability perfectly illustrates why.
