TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Keelon Russell was one of the favorites to win the Heisman trophy after Alabama's Week 5 win over Mississippi State, but now the Crimson Tide's sophomore quarterback is coming off the two worst of his young career.
Alabama has five very important games in front of it with little margin for error if it wants to make the College Football Playoff. The good news for the Crimson Tide and Russel is Georgia and Tennessee are probably the two best defenses they will face in the regular season, and Russell has an extremely high ceiling.
"I think Keelon Russell is the best quarterback in America, period," Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said Monday. "And I know that's not what showed up on Saturday. And again, I can only take accountability for myself and getting Keelon in a better spot because I know he is that kind of player, so going back to the game plan, well, it's easy for Keelon, and it's not that Keelon is incapable of handling tough things or difficult concepts and things like that. It's just in those type of environments, in the first time against a really good defense, you got to make it as clean as possible, and so going back, I think everything would go back to: is this clean enough for the guys? And so clearly, it wasn’t."
Putting Russell in a better position to succeed was a big theme of Monday morning's press conference with the Alabama coaching staff, including head coach Kalen DeBoer. Russell turned the ball over three times (two interceptions and a fumble), was sacked five times and had just 147 yards on 29 attempts.
"I feel like, again, it goes back to the play calling," DeBoer said. "I think we had opportunities that are really simple things that he's run a lot this year now that he's comfortable with. There are certain run pass options that have been successful and ones that haven’t. I think we're doing a good job of understanding what he likes. You know just quick game, getting the ball out of his hands and things like that are some things that he does well. He also has the opportunity and the knack for creating with his legs, and I thought he did that at times. He’s just got to try to not do too much."
Grubb said Alabama has to do a better job of calling plays based on what he's good at, and what he's most comfortable with. Whether that's letting him settle into a game against a good defense with quick passes or use his legs more.
When speaking with the media after games, Russell has repeatedly said he doesn't want to be viewed as a young quarterback. He's just seven starts into his career and has so much room to grow. There's a reason he was in the Heisman conversation, and there's a reason he was one of the highest-rated recruits in Alabama program history.
"We’re not gonna let him think of himself as a young quarterback either," DeBoer said. "He’s our quarterback. That expectation at Alabama comes with getting the job done. He’s more than capable. He’s done a great job in so many ways for our football team. Every moment’s a learning moment–– the good, and the times that are rough. He’s got a great head on his shoulders. Our staff, each of our players, are owning everything that happens, and Keelon has definitely done that. Just seeing and hearing him around the building here in the last couple days, he’s eager to move forward and be better because of everything that comes his way.”
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