Kalen DeBoer praises Keelon Russell’s toughness battling through injury: ‘He’s a stud’
By Mark Kern
Published:
Kalen DeBoer and Alabama were trailing LSU 13-10 late in the third quarter when star quarterback Keelon Russell took over the game. Russell threw 3 touchdowns in 9 minutes and turned a 3-point deficit into a commanding 31-13 win.
Russell took a beating on Saturday. He even was evaluated at one point in the blue medical tent, but was able to come back and lead his team to a win.
After the game, DeBoer had nothing but praise for his quarterback’s toughness and will to win.
“The kid is tough, he’s a stud,” DeBoer said. “He was not getting pulled off the football field. He just went out there and was steady all day long. Played smart and made some plays. I know he is going to say there was a lot more out there he could have had because that’s how he is. I am proud of him.”
Russell finished the game with 206 yards and 3 touchdowns while adding another 25 on the ground. The road performance was especially notable for him, as he’s fared inconsistently across Alabama’s previous road matchups. During the Crimson Tide’s loss to Tennessee, he was sacked 5 times and threw a pair of interceptions.
This was a game the Crimson Tide needed in a big way. The College Football Rankings initial list was released last Tuesday, and the biggest talking point was that Alabama was overrated. With Russell leading the way, the Crimson Tide showed that it is as good a team as there is in college football.
Up next for Alabama is a road game against Vanderbilt.
