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Austin Mack enters Alabama vs Eastern Illinois: 3 things to know about Crimson Tide QB

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Austin Mack enters Alabama vs Eastern Illinois: 3 things to know about Crimson Tide QB


Alabama football has started to unload its bench against Eastern Illinois.

With 14:37 left in the third quarter, Alabama redshirt sophomore quarterback Austin Mack took over for Crimson Tide starter Ty Simpson with a 28-0 lead.

Here are three things you need to know as Mack takes the reins of the Crimson Tide offense.

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Austin Mack has played in two Alabama football games in 2025

Mack has played in two other Alabama games in 2025.

He had extensive playing time in the Crimson Tide’s 73-0 win against Louisiana Monroe Saturday, Sept. 6. In one second quarter drive and two third quarter drives, Mack led the Crimson Tide to two touchdowns and a field goal. He completed eight of his 10 pass attempts for 80 yards with two touchdown passes: a 6-yard score to tight end Kaleb Edwards and a 3-yard score to tight end Josh Cuevas.

Mack also appeared in Alabama’s 38-14 win against Wisconsin. He led the Crimson Tide on a three-play drive that ended in a punt. He did not complete his only pass attempt.

Austin Mack followed Kalen DeBoer to Alabama from Washington

Mack originally committed to coach Kalen DeBoer at Washington, reclassifying from the 2024 recruiting class to 2023. He redshirted the 2023 season and sat behind Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

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Mack followed DeBoer to Alabama as his first transfer in January 2024. The Crimson Tide also added Cuevas, wide receiver Germie Bernard and center Parker Brailsford from the Washington roster.

As a redshirt freshman, Mack completed two of three passes for 39 yards and a touchdown.

Austin Mack continues Alabama football West Coast ties

Mack is a former four-star quarterback out of Folsom, California. He was the No. 16-ranked quarterback in the 2023 class per 247Sports’ composite rankings and led Folsom to a CIF Sac-Joaquin Division 1 championship.

Mack is one of 15 California natives on Alabama’s 2025 roster along with Cuevas, Edwards, defensive back Domani Jackson, defensive back Zabien Brown, defensive back Dijon Lee Jr., quarterback John Gazzaniga, defensive lineman Fatutoa Henry, defensive back Chuck McDonald III, wide receiver MJ Chirgwin, punter Alex Asparuhov, linebacker Abduall Sanders Jr., linebacker Grant Johnson, kicker Reid Schuback and offensive lineman Jackson Lloyd.

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Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. 



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Who has Alabama football lost in the transfer portal so far?

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Who has Alabama football lost in the transfer portal so far?


Alabama football has already seen some of its roster clear out via the transfer portal in the days following its loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl. The Crimson Tide will likely see more attrition in the coming days, with players allowed to enter through Jan. 16.

As of Monday morning, 15 Alabama players had entered the portal. Here’s a look at what the Crimson Tide is losing via transfer.

Cam Calhoun

The Utah transfer was a backup cornerback for the Crimson Tide this season. He played a major role on special teams but had trouble cracking the lineup on defense for Alabama.

Calhoun began his college career at Michigan

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Rico Scott

Scott was perhaps the fastest receiver on the team, but there were too many players on the depth chart ahead of him. Scott finished the year with 11 catches for 55 yards.

Keon Keeley

When he arrived in Tuscaloosa, Keeley was one of the nation’s top recruits, at the edge position. After a year with the Tide, he moved over to the more traditional defensive end spot that Kane Wommack calls the “bandit.”

Keeley finally was able to make an impact on the field this year after two season on the bench. He likely could have played an increased role with LT Overton off to the NFL, but opted to portal instead.

Wilkin Formby

Formby moved around in Alabama’s lineup during the 2025 season, his first as a full-time starter. He began the year at tackle, but wound up playing right guard as Michael Carroll took over the outside spot.

Cole Adams

Adams was the Crimson Tide’s primary punt returner. However, he didn’t have much of a role at wide receiver.

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The Oklahoma native had five catches for 71 yards and a touchdown this season.

Micah DeBose

DeBose joined Alabama as a highly touted recruit before the 2025 season. He saw action in just one game for the Crimson Tide this year, against Eastern Illinois.

Peter Notaro

The Alabama kicking game was an issue at times during the 2025 season. Notaro battled with Conor Talty for the starting job in preseason camp, but Talty eventually earned the spot.

Notaro was a five-star kicker in the 2025 recruiting class according to Kohl’s.

Noah Carter

Carter was a four-star edge recruit for the Crimson Tide ahead of the 2024 season. He redshirted that season, but got more action in 2025.

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He finished the year with nine total tackles before deciding to find greener pastures.

Olaus Alinen

Alinen was not a major part of what was an extremely large offensive line rotation this season. The member of Alabama’s 2023 recruiting class earned the most praise from coaches due to his versatility, with the native of Finland able to play both guard and tackle.

Jalen Hale

Hale was a contributor at receiver in 2023, before a major leg injury cost him the 2024 campaign. He returned in 2025, but wasn’t able to get significant playing time at receiver given the amount of talent ahead of him.

Joseph Ionata

Ionata was listed as Alabama’s backup center during the 2025 season. However, when it came down to it, Geno VanDeMark slid to the spot if Parker Brailsford needed to leave the field.

The redshirt freshman did see some playing time on special teams.

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Jaylen Mbakwe

Mbakwe joined Alabama as a five-star prospect in the 2024 class and proceeded to have an interesting career in Tuscaloosa. He spent most of 2024 as a defensive back, before deciding to enter the transfer portal, then backing out and switching to wide receiver before the ReliaQuest Bowl.

He stuck at wideout for 2025, without seeing major playing time at that position.



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A major overhaul ahead for the Alabama Crimson Tide offensive line

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A major overhaul ahead for the Alabama Crimson Tide offensive line


The first phase of good news for the Alabama Crimson Tide is happening. While indications are the two best Alabama offensive linemen will move to the NFL, there are eight other (and counting) offensive linemen who not return for the 2026 season. Three are out of eligibility: Jaeden Roberts, Kam Dewberry, and Geno Van DeMark. Five more are portal entries: Micah DeBose, Joe Ionata, Olaus Alinen, Roq Montgomery, and Wilkin Formby.

Why is the attrition good news? There are two reasons. Kalen DeBoer’s offensive lines have needed skill sets in short supply the last two seasons. His offense needs agile, quick-footed offensive linemen. Not many Alabama football fans will disagree, but for those who do, when two late-season games (Georgia and Indiana) are lost by a combined 56 points, a major overhaul is required.

For an offensive line overhaul, the Crimson Tide needed to free up roster slots, to improve talent, and reallocate money. The count of returning offensive linemen (as of late afternoon on Jan. 4) is six: Mike Carroll, Casey Poe, Jackson Lloyd, Mal Waldrep, Red Sanders, and Arkel Anugwon. In addition, the 2026 class added five more: Tyrell Miller (JUCO), Jared Doughty, Chris Booker, Bear Fretwell, and Bryson Cooley

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Next for the Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama could get lucky and have Parker Brailsford decide to play another season of college ball. Assuming that luck will not occur, three or four offensive linemen need to be added through the Portal. At least two of them need to be tabbed as near-locks to start in next fall’s season opener.

So far, the only target known publicly is Texas State center, Brock Riker. New targets are expected to surface soon, some of whom may not be in the portal yet. According to Yahoo Sports, Riker has been targeted by at least nine Power Four programs, with more offers expected soon.

The large number of transfer exits may be an indication that offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic will also move on. Many Alabama football fans are looking forward to DeBoer bringing in a new OL coach.

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Alabama outside linebacker to reportedly enter NCAA transfer portal

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Alabama outside linebacker to reportedly enter NCAA transfer portal


According to a report from ESPN’s Max Olson, Alabama Crimson Tide outside linebacker Noah Carter is set to enter the NCAA transfer portal following two seasons in Tuscaloosa.

Carter is the first Alabama outside linebacker to enter the transfer portal so far this cycle.

The outside linebacker originally came to Alabama as a member of the Crimson Tide’s 2024 class, and was one of the first big commitments of the Kalen DeBoer era. Then, Carter was rated as the nation’s No. 109 overall prospect, as well as No. 9 edge rusher nationally, out of Centennial High School in Arizona, per the 247Sports Composite rankings.

During his two seasons at Alabama, Carter posted a combined 11 tackles and 0.5 TFL across 14 games played. The outside linebacker appeared in 11 games this past season, posting nine tackles and 0.5 TFL.

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