Kalen DeBoer gets real when discussing the struggles of Keelon Russell and Austin Mack during recent Alabama spring scrimmage

The young signal callers at the University of Alabama didn’t have a great scrimmage ahead of A-Day, and Kalen DeBoer wasn’t shy about it.

Rob Gregson NFL News Writer
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April 7, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Quarterback Keelon Russell signals to receivers during Spring Practice at the University of Alabama.
April 7, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Quarterback Keelon Russell signals to receivers during Spring Practice at the University of Alabama. © Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A-Day weekend is finally here, and everyone will want to know what the starting quarterback competition will look like. Unfortunately, the game will not be televised, but plenty of video will surface, and plenty of thoughts and opinions will be generated.

But A-Day is the cherry on top of the sundae. The end of spring ball. This is a month-long process that sets the foundation for fall camp and Alabama’s QB battle going forward. And according to Kalen DeBoer, both of his signal callers have a ways to go.

Kalen DeBoer gets real on QB struggles during most recent Alabama spring scrimmage

“I would say today wasn’t their sharpest day. A lot of it was what we were talking about with the offensive line. It was just getting in sync with guys, the reps that they have had a lot,” DeBoer said via Alabama’s YouTube channel.

“Maybe it’s even the things that have had as part of our base offense that have done now for two years here, you can see everyone being in sync and playing with confidence. You’re going to rip it with confidence. This is the new stuff that maybe isn’t things we’ve had until this year or had as much of until this spring.”

“You can see that we struggled with it. I would say that it wasn’t up to the standard that they’ve had, but there’s no doubt that if we had to play a game, there’s some things that they do very well that we’re confident in that they could execute at a high level.”

Struggles are to be expected from Alabama’s QBs

For Mack, this is his 4th year in Coach DeBoer’s system. He should have the upper hand, but he has still never received true starting reps. Keelon Russell is getting reps for the first time in his collegiate career.

An offensive line that is still finding its footing and a group of skill players who are getting used to a new quarterback, none of this is out of the ordinary, but it’s refreshing to hear DeBoer be so candid nonetheless.