Keelon Russell scores first TD of 2026, first career rushing TD
By Jacob Moss
Published:
The Keelon Russell era in Tuscaloosa, Alabama officially began on Saturday afternoon when he made the first start of his career under center for the Crimson Tide against the East Carolina Pirates.
The uber-talented redshirt freshman won the starting job at quarterback for third-year head coach Kalen DeBoer after a lengthy battle in camp against former Washington Huskies gunslinger Austin Mack.
Russell flashed the immense talent that won him the starting gig in just his second season on campus right before halftime when he showed off some nifty moves to run in his first touchdown of the year to extend the Tide’s lead heading into the locker room.
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A Texas native, Russell was one of the top players in the 2025 recruiting class, earning Elite 11 MVP honors and being named the 2024 Gatorade National Player of the Year in his senior season.
He enrolled early in Tuscaloosa in January of 2025 and spent all of last season as a backup to 2026 first-round NFL Draft pick and current Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson.
Everybody in Alabama knew it was only a matter of time before Russell’s immense talent made it impossible to keep him off the field, and this crafty run on 3rd down shows why.
