Keelon Russell is young and talented. That generally produces high highs and low lows.
The Alabama first-year starter has fit that cliché through eight games.
At home, Russell has dazzled. He’s throwing for 287 yards per game at Bryant-Denny Stadium with 11 touchdown passes and one interception. On the road, the script has flipped.
Russell has four touchdown passes and four interceptions in front of hostile crowds, and his yards-per-game number has dipped by 80 yards.
“I think it’s just learning from what you’ve been through, and it’s not just a road environment that we’ve been in,” Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said. “It’s all the experiences that you’ve been through up to this point this season…There’s ebbs and flows, but you just got to stay steady and give yourself a chance to see the next play.”
Russell ranks fourth in the Southeastern Conference in total offense and second, behind Georgia’s Gunner Stockton, in yards per play. He’s a dynamic runner with great arm strength and accuracy.
He’s simply made some youthful mistakes like in Knoxville where he threw a pair of interceptions and lost a fumble. Alabama’s running game also failed him that afternoon with 54 yards on 26 carries.
Few quarterbacks could thrive in that situation against a difficult Tennessee pass rush that leads the country in sacks. LSU ranks second.
“It’ll be very important (to have success running the ball), and it will be important for us to execute,” DeBoer said. “That helps Keelon out. Grabbing some momentum, staying on the football field, keeps their offense off the field as well.
“It all plays into doing what it takes to win there,” DeBoer said. “Completely different team, but a couple years ago, that was a big part of us going down there, learning from playing an environment at Tennessee and guys adjusting and being better because of the hardships we had.”
Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe torched Blake Baker’s LSU defense in 2024 with 185 rushing yards and four scores, a game Alabama won by 29 points.
After two dismal showings on the ground against Tennessee and Texas A&M, Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb spent the off week searching for answers to help his quarterback.
“I think, just like any week, you’ve got to run discipline, run physical,” Grubb said. “And what I mean by that is, you know, don’t pass on the four-yard run against a defense like this. If there’s a crack there, we’ve got to take it. We can’t be greedy and think about what if I bounce this one. You’ve just got to follow their rules, be disciplined, and run aggressively and with belief. I believe our guys can run the football on these guys.”
