The countdown to kickoff is no longer at a snail’s pace with the start of the 2026 season just a little over two weeks away for most every SEC programs. That means we are also nearly halfway through fall camp for most every team in the league as well. There are still plenty of starting jobs up for grabs though, so let’s dive into the most intriguing fall camp position battles.
Up next: Alabama, Arkansas and Auburn.
Alabama: Quarterback
This may be the most talked about position battle in the entire conference. Who wins the starting job between Austin Mack and Keelon Russell? The amount of internet sleuthing that Alabama fans have already begun during fall camp is impressive. Which quarterback is throwing which social media post pass? Which one is seen working with the starter at running back? Which one is seen with the starting center? All are valid questions, and all are still very much unanswered.
The battle is still ongoing, and it could take up a few games into the season to decide. With Austin Mack you have a quarterback who came with Kalen DeBoer from Washington and is in year five of the offense. With Keelon Russell you have the former No. 2 ranked recruit in the country and the highest ranked recruit in program history. They can win with either, but make no mistake about it, they can lose too. The absence of a run game could plague this team, so whoever the winner of this battle is will be relied on heavily.
Arkansas: Quarterback
Arkansas has been one of the least talked about teams in the entire Power Four this offseason. They have a new head coach and nearly 60 new faces combined from the transfer portal and recruiting class they brought in. The most important battle for the Hogs, like many teams around the country, is quarterback.
The battle is between AJ Hill and KJ Jackson, and it’s a perfect embodiment of one of the newer trends in the sport during the transfer portal era. Jackson is entering his third season at Arkansas, while Hill came to Fayetteville from Memphis along with his head coach and offensive coordinator. Jackson is the heavy favorite to win the job, but head coach Alex Silverfield has been adamant that it’s still an ongoing competition.
Auburn: Left Guard
There are a lot of questions for Auburn this year as well. The defensive and offensive lines are both intriguing, especially on the interior. The safeties have had some health concerns in fall camp as well. The answer is at left guard though for this year’s Tiger team.
We talked to Zac Blackerby from Locked On Auburn, and here’s what he had to say about the battle at left guard.
“Deryc Plazz, the transfer from Miami was the guy in that spot from start to finish in spring but a healthy Jacob Strand from Oregon State has made that spot very interesting. It seems like a strong camp from Strand has him in a better spot than Plazz at the moment. Golesh mentioned Strand by name after Auburn’s second scrimmage on Wednesday when asked about the starting five.”
Auburn finished last season ranked 14th in the SEC in sacks allowed with 42 and 11th in tackles for loss allowed with 75. They could use some help up front, and from most of the reports out of camp, they are getting it.
