Let's fire up a Monday edition of "The Joe Gaither Show on BamaCentral" with Theo Fernandez, as we kick off Week 0 in college football by discussing the winner of Alabama's quarterback battle. Keelon Russell has emerged victorious, leaving our hosts to discuss what is next for Russell, Austin Mack and the Crimson Tide.

The discussion opens by highlighting a decent slate of Week 0 games and getting excited that college football is finally back this week. We dive right into the news of the weekend as Kalen DeBoer chose Keelon Russell to start this season for the Crimson Tide on Saturday. We detail Russell's playmaking and discuss how his ability to attack all three levels of the defense is exactly what DeBoer needs while reworking an offensive line.

Alabama Names Winner of 2026 Quarterback Battle

The program talks about Russell for quite a while as Gaither raises his expectations for the Crimson Tide with Russell under center. Fernandez cautions Gaither and reminds us that Russell will still have growing pains due to his inexperience and offensive line question marks.

Keelon Russell Details 'Crazy Athletic' Early Football Years

We move out to the voicemail line where a caller chats about EJ Crowell's expectations for the season as the phenominal freshman is still on the mend and not fully participating in practice. Fernandez nails Gaither down on a reworked expectation as the hosts debate how many rushing yards he'll have as a true freshman.

Kalen DeBoer Provides Positive Update on Injured Alabama WR Noah Rogers

Lastly, we discuss Austin Mack as the loser of the Crimson Tide quarterback battle. What will Mack do now that he's not the starter? The program predicts Mack will be in high demand in the transfer portal next year and still sees him as a quarterback with an NFL future.

Call (205) 462-7340 Extension 800 to leave your thoughts in a voicemail, and you'll be featured on the show. You can also join us live in the comment sections Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m. CT.

The show can be seen on the BamaCentral YouTube channel. Keep up with each show on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Shows can also be heard on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Threads and Blue Sky for the latest news.

Alabama Crimson Tide On SI