Alabama heads into the heart of SEC play at 3-0, but Monday’s message from Tuscaloosa wasn’t about the record so much as the fixes.
After the Crimson Tide’s 50-36 comeback win over Florida State on Saturday, Kalen DeBoer met with reporters alongside offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and defensive coordinator Kane Wommack. The conversation kept circling back to the same themes: slow starts, pass defense issues, and a team trying to clean things up before South Carolina arrives.
Grubb opened by saying Alabama is using “calculated measures” in practice to address those sluggish starts. He also liked the way the Tide handled the lightning delays on Saturday, and he praised Keelon Russell for settling into the game and continuing to develop. Grubb pointed out that Russell’s completion percentage against Florida State was higher than in his previous games.
The offensive coordinator also touched on the run game and the red zone. Asked about using EJ Crowell inside the 20, Grubb said he thinks Crowell and Daniel Hill have both done a good job so far. When the discussion turned to what he wants next from the ground attack, Grubb said the key is better communication between the offensive line and the running backs.
Grubb also spoke about Alabama’s true freshmen, saying their impact says a lot about the program’s approach to high school recruiting rather than trying to solve every issue through the transfer portal. He added that Russell getting out of the huddle faster starts in practice, where the staff emphasizes the clock, and said the quarterback has improved in that area. Grubb even joked that he had been telling EJ Crowell how to hurdle defenders, describing Crowell as instinctive and unafraid.
Wommack’s turn brought a sharper tone. He said he appreciated the win, but called Alabama’s pass defense “highly disappointing and uncharacteristic.”
He went further, saying it was the worst showing from the unit since he arrived in Tuscaloosa. Wommack also said the defense did not handle the first lightning delay well, though it responded better after the second one.
One play in particular stuck with him. Wommack said Florida State’s last touchdown was entirely on him because he should have put a spy on Ashton Daniels. He also brought up Alabama’s 2015 defense while telling his players they can still turn things around and become one of the top defenses in the country.
When asked about the team’s response, Wommack didn’t soften it: “They’re pissed. And they should be pissed.”
He said he expects urgency as Alabama works to clean it up, and added that “nobody is harder on himself than Dijon Lee.” Wommack said he believes Lee will get things corrected, but stressed that the cornerback has to be better when the ball is in the air.
The defensive coordinator said Alabama is going “right back to work” on the pass defense problems. He noted that the Tide had a strong week of practice before Florida State, but it has to show up on game day.
DeBoer closed the session with his own opening thoughts, pointing out how long Saturday became because of the delays. He also noted that Alabama and South Carolina have gone down to the wire in each of the last two seasons, and said he expects the Gamecocks’ best shot.
On injuries and availability, DeBoer said EJ Crowell should be good to go and Daniel Hill should be as well. He added that Chris Booker is not currently with the team. Cayden Jones is out for the rest of the season, while AK Dear and Noah Rogers will be available.
DeBoer said he likes the way the offensive line is trending and described the group as continuing to improve despite the number of new faces. He also said Alabama is trying to get everyone up to speed quickly, and that the young players have shown they can make plays when called on. The freshman production, he said, has been fun to watch.
On the slow starts, DeBoer said Alabama can’t have both sides of the ball come out flat. He noted that some of the mistakes were on things the players have already done correctly before, and said the early lull gave Florida State hope and life before Alabama settled in and showed what it can be.
DeBoer added that getting through those difficult stretches should help build confidence for what’s ahead, especially with the toughest part of the Crimson Tide’s SEC schedule still in front of them. He also said he wants AK Dear and Noah Rogers to be playing at a top level before they become major contributors.
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