Alabama’s A-Day has always been a statement. But last year, the Crimson Tide didn’t scrimmage inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. Instead, they had an open practice with no live streaming. But this year, Kalen DeBoer is making sure it actually looks like one again. So now, heading into Week 2 of spring camp, he’s flipping the switch.

Alabama is bringing back a full-on scrimmage format for A-Day, set for April 11 at 1 p.m. CT. It’s two hours of real reps and competition. But if you hear what he has to say, this decision is more than just about giving fans a better show.

“We always want to scrimmage and have a great spring game,” Kalen DeBoer said earlier this month. “Last year, we just had two position groups in particular… we wouldn’t have been able to put on a good show. We needed to get something out of the practices. Unfortunately, that was where we were a year ago.”

Last spring, Alabama wasn’t just unprepared; its roster was heavily depleted. DeBoer had so many star players sidelined with injuries that holding a traditional game was impossible. Now, with a healthier depth chart, he can finally give the fans the actual football that they missed.

If you look back at when Nick Saban led the Tide, A-Day practically felt like a real Saturday game with two teams and a scoreboard. But it also had a fun element, as winners get to eat steak after the game while losers get beanie-weenies. It’s fun mixed with purpose as players get their shot at earning reps.

Kalen DeBoer’s first spring didn’t quite hit that mark. But this time it’s different. 

“I think we’re in a different spot this year,” he said. “We really haven’t talked about it as a team; we’re really just focused on what’s next. We’d love to get out there and have some fun, practice, and get better, scrimmage, that’s kind of the expectation we have for that day. Hopefully nothing crazy happens, but that’s what I would expect for A-Day.”

The gameday festivities will kick off well before the 1 p.m. scrimmage, with the Walk of Fame ceremony at 11 a.m. and the Walk of Champions at 12:45 p.m., building anticipation for the main event, honoring leaders like Ty Simpson, Parker Brailsford, Tim Keenan, and Deontae Lawson. This game is set to become the first real chapter in Alabama’s QB race. 

A-Day could sort Kalen DeBoer’s QB dilemma 

Yet again, Alabama has a QB competition after Ty Simpson left for the NFL Draft. Now, Kalen DeBoer is down to two choices. On one side, there’s Austin Mack, the No. 219 recruit in the 2023 class out of Folsom High School. He is familiar with the head coach’s system, as he followed him to Tuscaloosa after three years at Washington. 

On the other side of the competition, there’s 5-star, No. 2 overall player in the 2025 class, Keelon Russell. The battle is officially a locked two-man race. Both Mack and Russell recently signed NIL agreements to remain in Tuscaloosa for 2026, which effectively shut down any rumors of DeBoer hunting for a portal quarterback, putting the offense’s future entirely on their shoulders.

Under normal circumstances, Russell would’ve been the QB1, but in Alabama, experience still carries weight. Austin Mack has something Russell doesn’t, and that’s real snaps. When Simpson cracked a rib against Indiana in the Rose Bowl, Mack did not just hand the ball off. He completed 11 of 16 passes for 103 yards, leading Alabama’s only scoring drive. That live-game pressure gives him a slight edge when it comes to earning trust from the head coach.

Well, Kalen DeBoer has an important decision to make for his Alabama tenure. A 20-8 record looks good almost anywhere, but in Tuscaloosa, it’s still not enough. Besides, Alabama is rebuilding new offensive line combinations, new WR targets after losing veterans like Germie Bernard and Josh Cuevas. So right now, everything depends on stability under center. This is why this A-Day scrimmage will be like a live audition between the two QBs.