Alabama QB Keelon Russell just dropped a savage quote that should have Crimson Tide fans fired up about this year’s offense
Russell’s breakout performance against the Seminoles featured his best passing day and a 60-yard rushing touchdown that flipped the game.
Every time Keelon Russell opens his mouth, there’s more reason to believe the Alabama Crimson Tide have a national championship-caliber quarterback. The Crimson Tide just came off a dominant victory against the Florida State Seminoles, and Russell delivered his best all-around performance as Alabama’s starter. What he said afterward might have been even better than what he did on the field.
Keelon Russell stats vs. Florida State
- 23/30 passing
- 320 passing yards
- 3 passing TDs
- 56 rushing yards
- 1 rushing TD
Russell’s mentality says everything about where Alabama is headed
As Theodore Fernandez of Bama Central posted, Russell was asked about how Alabama manages to break down opposing defenses in the second half. His response was pure quarterback swagger.
“Once you put your foot on their neck, once you’re hitting them with a couple of shots, keep throwing punches at them, they’re going to wear down eventually,” Russell said.
That is exactly what Alabama did, and exactly what Russell did. Forget that he had far and away his best game as a passer for the Crimson Tide. What Russell really showed was why, if he plays at that level week in and week out, he’s going to be a Heisman Trophy contender. Dare I say, he could become the best quarterback in recent Alabama history.
Russell’s arm talent and legs were both on full display
He was lacing balls down the boundary on fade throws. He was making big-time throws over the middle of the field. That touchdown to Kaleb Edwards, where he identified the Cover 2 look and attacked it, was a thing of beauty.
But what really changed the game, what really flipped the script, what really sent Alabama over the top and buried the Seminoles was when Russell took the ball and ran nearly 60 yards to the house for a touchdown. The defense struggled all day, and Russell recognized the moment demanded more from him. He put the team on his back and willed Alabama to victory.
That is why he is QB1. That is what you should expect to see for the rest of this season and all of next year.
The ceiling is the roof for Alabama’s offense
The sky is the limit for the Crimson Tide offense if Russell plays like that every weekend. This quote, this mentality, this type of savagery is exactly what you want from your starting quarterback. It doesn’t matter how young he is. It doesn’t matter how inexperienced he is. What matters is the understanding that when things aren’t going right around him, he has to elevate his game and carry the team.
The bottom line is that Russell did just that against Florida State. If this version of Russell is the one who shows up the rest of the way, Alabama has something special brewing at the quarterback position.
