3 Questions for Alabama Football’s Offense Before Second Scrimmage
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – As the Alabama Crimson Tide approach their second major scrimmage of fall camp, the offense finds itself at a crossroads. Kalen DeBoer’s squad is just weeks away from the September 5 season opener against East Carolina, but significant questions linger on that side of the ball . Coming off a 2025 season where the running game ranked 125th nationally, this scrimmage represents a critical checkpoint for an offense undergoing substantial roster turnover . Here are the three biggest questions Alabama’s offense must answer before taking the field for the second scrimmage.
1. Will the Quarterback Battle Produce a Leader?
The competition between redshirt junior Austin Mack and redshirt freshman Keelon Russell remains the defining storyline of Alabama’s fall camp, and Thursday’s scrimmage was supposed to provide clarity. Instead, it may have raised more questions. While both quarterbacks showed flashes, DeBoer described the overall execution as a “slow start,” acknowledging that neither passer has created clear separation for the starting job .
“I love the aggressiveness that they have,” DeBoer previously said of the duo. “They’re not gun shy” . However, aggression must be paired with consistency. After the first scrimmage, DeBoer made it clear that while the base offense looked sharp, the new installments caused issues. “This is the new stuff that maybe isn’t things we’ve had until this year… You can see that we struggled with it,” he noted .
The coach has emphasized the need to “start faster” and for the quarterbacks to “set the tone themselves” . With Mack and Russell reportedly splitting first-team reps “pretty evenly,” this second scrimmage is vital for one to assert control and move the offense with the efficiency expected of a championship contender .
2. Who Will Carry the Load in a Depleted Backfield?
Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has made “resurrecting the run game” a priority after last season’s struggles . However, injuries have immediately complicated that plan. The running back room took significant hits during the first scrimmage, forcing the coaching staff to look deeper into the depth chart .
Sophomore AK Dear, who was “having a nice scrimmage” and scored a touchdown, suffered a lower leg injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for approximately six weeks . This timeline could see him miss the season opener and several early games. Meanwhile, heralded freshman EJ Crowell missed the first scrimmage entirely with a minor injury, though DeBoer expects him back for the regular season .
With Dear and Crowell sidelined, the responsibility falls heavily on juniors Daniel Hill and Kevin Riley, along with freshman Trae’shawn Brown. DeBoer recently praised Brown, noting he “showed some pop” and “instinctiveness” in short-yardage situations . The second scrimmage will be a critical audition for these backs to prove they can sustain the ground attack and provide the explosive plays that were missing last year .
3. Is the Offensive Line Developing Enough Cohesion?
Perhaps the most critical question for the 2026 offense is the development of the offensive line. The unit faces the monumental task of replacing four starters from last year’s group, and the coaching staff brought in six transfer portal additions and five freshmen to address the turnover . The line’s ability to gel will be a major factor in resolving the running game issues and protecting the eventual starting quarterback.
DeBoer has been candid about the offensive line’s progress, acknowledging that while there are things they do well, they are “definitely not there yet” . The first scrimmage reportedly featured mixed results; while there were “some seams” for explosive runs, the consistency wasn’t where it needs to be . The second scrimmage will test whether the unit can establish “more continuity upfront” .
The SEC opener against Georgia is often a battle decided in the trenches, and analysts have already pointed to the line of scrimmage as a potential weakness for the Tide in that matchup . If the offensive line can show significant progress in this scrimmage, it will ease concerns about a unit that has been a major talking point throughout fall camp .
