East Carolina Pirates at Alabama Crimson Tide
· NCAA - Football
Keelon Russell shows off dual-threat ability as No. 13 Alabama handles East Carolina 48-10
Russell, a sophomore making his first career start after beating out Austin Mack during training camp, ran for 86 yards and a score. He also threw for 249 yards, including 130 of those to Ryan Coleman-Williams.
Coleman-Williams dropped two passes in the second quarter, but Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer says his big bounce back is indicative of the trust they have in the newly named team captain.
“Yeah, he went out there, made some contested catches too,” DeBoer said. “You know we’re gonna keep feeding him. He’s a relentless worker, and he’s gonna keep getting the ball.”
Russell also showed why Alabama entrusted him with the offense. His ability to escape pressure and create plays with his legs was apparent from the opening drive when he broke free from pressure for a 23-yard run.
“I think he’s just a tough guy to defend,” DeBoer said. “I thought he took advantage of his ability.”
Russell directed five consecutive scoring drives to start the game, and Alabama (1-0) finished with 480 yards and 27 first downs.
The Crimson Tide, who ranked 15th in the Southeastern Conference in rushing last season, totaled 227 yards on the ground.
East Carolina (0-1) managed just 162 yards and five first downs. The Pirates were 0 for 9 on third down and gained 2 yards on 22 carries.
Mitch Griffis completed 10 of 16 passes for 137 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. For Alabama’s defense, the 2 rushing yards are the fewest they have allowed against an FBS opponent since Mississippi State had (minus)-1 in 2021.
Russell made a few mistakes, including a fumble in the third quarter. But he ended up with more positives than negatives, including connecting with Coleman-Williams for a 58-yard gain.
“I think there were some operational things pre-snap that caused us to use timeouts,” DeBoer said. “But it was to be expected. And I think he got better as the game went on.”
Alabama: The Tide overcame some early execution issues while Russell displayed his dual-threat ability in his starting debut.
Alabama opens SEC play at Kentucky next Saturday.
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How To Watch
How can I watch East Carolina Pirates vs. Alabama Crimson Tide?
- TV Channel: Pirates at Crimson Tide 2021 College Football, week 1, is broadcasted on ABC.
- Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.
Scoring Summary
 |
FG | 1st Period 9:30 | Conor Talty 41 Yd Field Goal |
|
TD | 1st Period 4:12 | EJ Crowell 3 Yd Run (Conor Talty Kick) |
|
TD | 2nd Period 14:48 | Daniel Hill 4 Yd Run (Conor Talty Kick) |
 |
TD | 2nd Period 13:41 | Jeremiah Melvin 1 Yd pass from Mitch Griffis (Noah Perez Kick) |
|
TD | 2nd Period 10:02 | Daniel Hill 2 Yd Run (Conor Talty Kick) |
|
TD | 2nd Period 9:15 | Yhonzae Pierre 27 Yd Interception Return (Conor Talty Kick) |
|
TD | 2nd Period 0:14 | Keelon Russell 3 Yd Run (Conor Talty Kick) |
|
FG | 3rd Period 10:54 | Noah Perez 34 Yd Field Goal |
|
TD | 4th Period 14:57 | Trae'shawn Brown 2 Yd Run (Conor Talty Kick) |
|
FG | 4th Period 6:15 | Conor Talty 21 Yd Field Goal |
Statistics
 ECU |
 ALA |
|
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1st Downs | 28 |
| 0-9 | 3rd down efficiency | 8-15 |
| 0-0 | 4th down efficiency | 1-1 |
| 162 | Total Yards | 487 |
| 160 | Passing | 260 |
| 11/19 | Comp/Att | 19/32 |
| 8.4 | Yards per pass | 8.1 |
| 2 | Rushing | 227 |
| 22 | Rushing Attempts | 49 |
| 0.1 | Yards per rush | 4.6 |
| 7-61 | Penalties | 6-29 |
| 1 | Turnovers | 1 |
| 0 | Fumbles lost | 1 |
| 1 | Interceptions thrown | 0 |
| 21:07 | Possession | 38:53 |
Game Information
Location: Tuscaloosa, AL
Attendance: 100,077 · Capacity:
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