Kalen DeBoer's second season at Alabama Crimson Tide was a step in the right direction.

After failing to lead his team to the College Football Playoff in his debut season in 2024, DeBoer saw the Crimson Tide break through in 2025 and make the postseason bracket as the No. 9 seed. Alabama won at Oklahoma in the first round before a lopsided defeat against eventual champion Indiana in the Rose Bowl.

DeBoer looks to take the next step this fall as his 13th-ranked Alabama side begins its campaign against East Carolina Pirates on Saturday afternoon at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Alabama turns to a third starting quarterback in as many seasons under DeBoer. Gone is 2025 starter Ty Simpson, drafted in the first round by the Los Angeles Rams one year after Jalen Milroe was selected by the Seattle Seahawks.

Sophomore Keelon Russell, who beat out Austin Mack to win the job, is the latest QB1. The No. 2 overall prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, per 247Sports, Russell completed 11 of 15 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns in limited action last season as a freshman.

"I am extremely excited with what Keelon can do with this offense moving forward and what he brings to the table," DeBoer said when asked why Russell won the battle. " ... I think what he's continuing to do is he's continuing to feel comfortable with the offense, the command of the offense, the execution. He's done a better job with more and more reps as you'd expect."

It certainly won't make things easier for the new Alabama quarterback that the Crimson Tide are replacing all five starting offensive linemen from last year's team. But he does have preseason first-team All-Southeastern Conference wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams and a defense buoyed by four players receiving all-SEC preseason recognition.

The Crimson Tide were picked to finish sixth in a top-heavy SEC by media voters.

The Pirates are entering Blake Harrell's second full season leading the program after he took over as the interim midway through the 2024 season. The program has gone on a strong run since he took over, salvaging a 3-4 start two seasons ago when Harrell took over with a 5-1 finish.

East Carolina won nine games last fall in Harrell's first full season, its most since a 10-win season in 2013.

But with 21 starters from that team gone, this season marks a major test for Harrell's squad and his reputation as a program builder.

North Texas running back transfer Ashton Gray (377 yards, five touchdowns in 2025) will anchor an offense helmed by sixth-year QB Mitch Griffis, who has thrown for 2,314 yards, 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions over his career at Wake Forest (2020-23) and Texas Tech (2025).

Harrell is preaching positivity to his team entering its daunting season-opening test.

"It's really the man in the mirror every week that you're playing. We're playing a really good football team, very talented. Done some big things. Great tradition," Harrell said. "Coach (DeBoer) has played for a national championship. All those things you can look at and come up with a million reasons why you can't. But we got to look in the mirror and find reasons why we can."

This will be Alabama and ECU's second career matchup. The Crimson Tide eked out a 23-22 win in 1998.

East Carolina has won a game against a Power Four opponent in each of the last two posteasons, winning bowl games against Pitt in 2025 and North Carolina State in 2024.

--Field Level Media

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