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.

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.

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.

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.