Alabama football’s quarterback battle still isn’t settled. That shouldn’t be a surprise, as it’s not even fall camp yet, but Kalen DeBoer emphasized it on Friday after the Crimson Tide’s second spring scrimmage.

DeBoer said that Ty Simpson, Austin Mack and Keelon Russell are all still actively competing for the job. However, he said two of the three are seeing more time at the top of the depth chart in practice.

“I don’t want to say it was even across the board, but they all kind of got their shot with the ones and twos,” UA’s head coach told reporters in Tuscaloosa after the scrimmage. “Especially, just because they’re older, Keelon’s doing a great job, Ty and Austin. Keelon definitely works in with the twos. He’ll get one reps from time to time, but that’s no indication of really where we feel he’s at, he’s killing it.”

Russell is the youngest competitor in the three-man battle for the job. He joined the Tide as a five-star prospect this offseason, after flipping his commitment from SMU and winning MVP of the Elite 11.

Still, DeBoer had high praise for how the Texas native has handled himself so far.

“Doing a great job,” DeBoer said of Russell. “You can tell when he’s out there, he’s getting more and more comfortable moving the ball down the field. When there’s a throw to be made, he’ll make the throw for sure.”

DeBoer said Simpson and Mack have a more advanced grasp of Alabama’s offense, leading to them getting more reps with the first and second teams, as UA tries to install portions of the system. He said he was impressed with all three of the signal-callers.

He said it would be important for each of the QBs to continue growing trust with the offensive line going forward, and vice versa, noting the line needed to get comfortable with cadences and tendencies from all three. 

“They’re all three making throws,” DeBoer said. “Making some big-time throws. Thought they all moved the chains at times when they maybe had their backs to the wall, maybe second, third-and-long situations where they found a way to make a big throw.”

Alabama will continue spring practice through April 12, when it will hold an open session for A-Day. The Tide is unlikely to have a set starter until much closer to the Aug. 30 season-opener at Florida State.

“I think all three of those guys throw a catchable ball,” DeBoer said. “It’s just a matter of who can move us up and down the field the best.”