Alabama OC Ryan Grubb Drops Surprising Praise for Keelon Russell That Could Change the Season
So, Alabama’s got Ty Simpson locked in as their starting QB—at least for now. But here’s the kicker: offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb isn’t exactly hitting the brakes on Keelon Russell, the five-star freshman recruit who nearly snagged the spot himself. Makes you wonder—when you’ve got a guy with Russell’s poise and playmaking chops waiting in the wings, how long before the tide shifts? Grubb’s glowing remarks after practice laid it all out—calm under pressure, sharp vision, and a knack for slowing down the chaos on the field. That kind of innate talent isn’t something you bench for long. With Alabama rolling into year two under Kalen DeBoer and sitting comfortably as the No. 8 team in the AP Top 25, the countdown is on: Will Russell emerge as the next Tide titan sooner rather than later? One thing’s clear—this quarterback competition is just heating up.
The Alabama Crimson Tide may have their starting quarterback in Ty Simpson. However, that doesn’t mean that offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb doesn’t have high remarks towards Keelon Russell.
Russell joined the Crimson Tide as a freshman, standing out as a five-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class. Of course, he competed with Simpson for the starting job throughout the fall but fell short.
Nonetheless, his potential still remains. Grubb went more into detail about the young quarterback’s talent following a practice session on Tuesday, per On3’s Sam Gillenwater.
“You know, Coach Sheridan and, you know, Coach DeBoer did a phenomenal job recruiting (Keelon) and, you know, I thought their assessment when I got here was spot-on,” Grubb said. “He’s a very composed player. Very young player. And, even when it’s not perfect and things aren’t going Kee’s way, I think he’s able to just slow the game down, and I think that that’s something that’s, you know, somewhat innate and you just do.
“And, so, I think, when you can build and then you continue to build on the knowledge base and understanding of the system? He’ll just keep getting better. He’s a really, really calm, excellent player with great vision.”
What lies ahead for Ryan Grubb, Alabama
Ryan Grubb is right to point out Keelon Russell’s strengths as a quarterback. His ceiling would make it worth the Alabama Crimson Tide turning to his direction in the near future.
Russell’s skillset coming out of high school is no joke. He threw for over 3,000 yards and nearly 50 touchdowns as a senior and added over 250 yards rushing and multiple scores in 2024. He also led DHS to a 14-1 record as a junior, completing 180-of-243 passes for 3,267 yards and 35 touchdowns to go with 54 carries for 304 yards and four touchdowns.
Alabama is entering the second year of its stint under head coach Kalen DeBoer. They finished with a 9-4 record, a solid start into their new era following Nick Saban’s retirement from coaching.
The Crimson Tide will look to continue making progress in the right direction. They start the season as the No. 8-ranked team in the AP Top 25, being on the road. They face the Florida State Seminoles on Aug. 30 at 2:30 p.m. ET.
The post Alabama OC Ryan Grubb gives major Keelon Russell endorsement during fall camp appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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