The Alabama Crimson Tide’s transition from Nick Saban to Kalen DeBoer has been about as seamless as anyone could have hoped. DeBoer and the Tide are out an impressive 4-0 start that included a road win against the Wisconsin Badgers and a home victory over the No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs. However, it was never the on-field success people doubted about DeBoer, it was how would he adjust to life on the recruiting trail in the South.
With Saban retiring on Jan. 10, DeBoer did an outstanding job of stepping in and keeping the 2024 recruiting class intact for the most part. Granted some recruits like Julian Sayin decided not to stick with the program, but he was able to keep guys like Zabien Brown and Jaylen Mbakwe. WR Ryan Williams actually was one of those who de-committed following Saban’s retirement, but after meeting DeBoer and hearing his plan he decided to come to Tuscaloosa anyway. A decision I am sure he is thrilled he made.
Even through the transition, DeBoer and Alabama finished with the No. 2 recruiting class in the country. Now that he’s been in Tuscaloosa for almost a year, the success on the recruiting trail is adding up with the top class in 2025. One of the biggest victories in recruiting came when DeBoer flipped five-star QB Keelon Russell from SMU to ‘Bama.
Russell is the No. 13 player in the class and the No. 3 ranked QB out of Duncanville, TX. The Texas native won the Elite 11 camp this summer which is a competition among the best rising senior QBs in the country with some previous winners being CJ Stroud, Caleb Williams and Tua Tagovailoa.
So far, Russell’s senior campaign has been sensational as he is completing 75% of his passes, for 1,437 yards and 19 TD with no picks through four games. He’s also carried the ball 16 times for 125 yards and a score. As a result, Elite 11 has named the former winner their “Baller of the Month” for a sensational September.
With this being Milroe’s last year in Tuscaloosa, Russell, Ty Simpson and Austin Mack will all be contention for the Tide’s QB1 role next fall.
BALLER OF THE MONTH — 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓
🎯 @Pres1dential pic.twitter.com/TC7uepWmte
— Elite11 (@Elite11) October 2, 2024
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.