When it comes to Alabama football's offensive performance against Georgia, Keelon Russell takes all the blame.

The protection was good, he said. He gave credit to the running backs and the receivers. When Alabama fell short in its 20-17 loss to Georgia on Saturday, Oct. 10, Russell said it was because of him.

"I got to execute at a higher level," Russell said. "I did not play my best game tonight. Countless throws that I missed. I just got to be better."

Taking on the best defense he's faced in his short career as Alabama's starting quarterback, Russell had his share of high highs. He led the Crimson Tide on a three-play, 89-yard explosion ending in a 22-yard touchdown pass to tight end Marshall Pritchett. Russell led Alabama on a 12-play, 80-yard two-minute drill, one where he completed 20-plus-yard connections to Ryan Coleman-Williams and Lotzeir Brooks, and one that ended in a 1-yard EJ Crowell touchdown run.

But Russell saw the lowest lows he's seen all season long: the first drive that ended in a strip sack, the three sacks after that – including the 9-yard loss after a questionable no-call on an incompletion to Rico Scott – and the career-low 53% completion rate because of the amount of time he spent on the run.

"No, they didn't show anything that I didn't expect," Russell said, who had 185 passing yards, 41 rushing yards and a touchdown. "Everything that they did show, we watched film, understood the assignment. Like I said, I just have to play better."

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said Russell "made a lot of great plays," citing the "big-time ball" Russell made on that 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive at the end of the first half. Throughout Alabama's loss, DeBoer said, Russell "kept battling."

"Think he continues to make pretty dang good decisions," DeBoer said. "It's not going to take away from the growth that he's had to this point. We're going to have to continue to rally around him an find ways to help him out."

But to Russell, that's not good enough.

"As an offensive commander, I got to do my job," Russell said.

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 or Instagram @colingaytnews. 

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: How Keelon Russell, the 'offensive commander' did in Alabama vs Georgia