Alabama QB Keelon Russell’s Injury Takes Late Turn Before Vanderbilt Game
Talk about a dramatic last-second decision.
On Friday, ESPN initially reported that Alabama would start second-string quarterback Austin Mack against Vanderbilt during Week 11. However, it was later announced that starting quarterback Keelon Russell would take the field, despite suffering an ankle injury during the LSU game. ESPN senior football writer Pete Thamel shared the news on Saturday, stating, "Keelon Russell gets the start for Alabama." According to ESPN's Taylor Davis, backup Austin Mack was expected to start.
Russell has demonstrated impressive performance this season, throwing for 2,263 yards, 18 touchdowns, and five interceptions in his nine games. He completes 67.3% of his passes and ranks second in the SEC for passing touchdowns, yards per attempt, and passer rating. Russell was in attendance for the pregame warmups as he prepared to face Vanderbilt, one of the SEC's worst teams. As a backup, Mack has had limited playing time this season, with only four passes completed, resulting in 23 yards.
Russell's dominant performance in Alabama's 31-13 win over the Tigers was highlighted, where he completed 17 of 24 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Since the beginning of the season, Russell has consistently been a driving force behind the Crimson Tide offense, and his recent statement in September showcased his determination: "Once you put your foot on their neck, once you’re hitting with a couple of shots, keep throwing punches at them, they’re going to wear down eventually."
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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