Alabama is moving closer to clarity on offense, and Ryan Grubb was willing to let a few things slip Monday.
The biggest one: the Crimson Tide appear set to name their starting quarterback next week. That alone is enough to stir up the conversation, but Grubb also offered a few more clues about where the depth chart is headed.
At running back, his comments made Trae’shawn Brown sound like a player who may get more run than some expected. Grubb pointed to Brown’s anticipation as a runner and his exceptional pass blocking. By contrast, he described Kevin Riley as a really intelligent guy who’s trying to keep his weight up.
Up front, Mal Waldrep and Jayvin James seem to be leading the way at left guard and right tackle. Will Sanders and Nick Brooks are still in the mix for those jobs, but they’re chasing from behind.
Tight end also looks to be taking shape. Marshall Pritchett is expected to be the primary pass-catching option at the position.
Grubb was especially effusive when talking about Ryan Coleman-Williams, praising his work ethic and improvement. That level of praise stood out.
There was also a notable sight at practice Monday: Lotzeir Brooks was back after Kalen DeBoer said following Thursday’s scrimmage that Brooks had not participated and would miss a couple of practices. His return doesn’t necessarily mean he’s fully back, though.
Only three periods were open to view, about 15 minutes, and Brooks appeared to be favoring his right leg. His work in individual drills likely fits into the rehab process.
For now, the hope is that whatever has kept Brooks sidelined is minor and won’t linger into the season.
The preseason picture for Alabama got a little clearer in another way too. The Crimson Tide opened at No. 13 in the Associated Press Top 25 released Monday, marking the first time since 2008 that Alabama has started a season outside the preseason top 10.
In 2008, the Tide checked in at No. 24.
The ranking also put Alabama in a new spot in AP history. Ohio State, which is No. 1 this preseason, has now tied Alabama for the second-most preseason No. 1 rankings with nine. Oklahoma still holds the record with 10.
If that No. 13 slot feels about right, there’s a case to be made for it. The defense looks like a top-ten unit, but the offense still has questions until Keelon Russell or Austin Mack proves he can lift the group above that level.
Elsewhere, CBS Sports put together a list of the most expensive rosters in the sport, based on speculation from more than 50 industry sources, including Power Four athletic directors, general managers, personnel executives, salary cap experts, agents and boosters. The takeaway was that several Power Four programs are sitting in the $40 million-or-more range for their 2026 football rosters.
The spending spike has been real. One front office staffer at a school on the list said roster spend is up 50% in 2026 compared to 2024. Teams, according to the report, took advantage of a short window when collective dollars and rev share dollars collided last year, and the money never really came back down.
“Here’s the thing: If you have a pretty comfortable chunk of players that are solid, but then you have six to seven high-dollar kids, it’s hard not to (be in the $40 million range),” one Power Four general manager told CBS Sports. “That shit adds up quick.”
An SEC front office staffer said there are a few schools in a class of their own: Miami, Oregon, USC, Texas and Texas A&M.
LSU might even be above $50 million, if the projections are to be believed.
Alabama was not included on that list, which leaves room for two interpretations: the Tide are being careful and managing the roster efficiently, or they’re falling behind.
In Other News...
Alabamas Quarterback Battle Is Starting To Tilt One Way
Fall camp has a way of sharpening every quarterback conversation, and Alabamas has started to narrow in a way that matters for the rest of the SEC. Around the country, several major programs are still sorting through open competitions, with Tennessee weighing Faizon Brandon and George MacIntyre and schools like Iowa, North Carolina and Florida still without a definitive answer. In Tuscaloosa, the picture is becoming clearer as the Crimson Tide move closer to naming a starter.
Keelon Russell has emerged as the quarterback who appears to be ahead in the race, which gives Alabama a growing sense of direction as the season approaches. Austin Mack remains part of the conversation, but the gap seems to be forming at the right time for a staff trying to settle the position before the games start to count. Another checkpoint is coming soon, and the decision now feels less like a wide-open battle and more like one nearing its final turn. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas New Offensive Look Has One Huge Advantage This Season
Alabamas offense is leaning into size in a way that should make life easier for Ryan Grubb as the season unfolds. The coordinator has pointed to bigger receivers Derek Meadows and Cederian Morgan as players who can give the passing game a different feel, while also signaling that the Tides tight end room could become a major part of the plan. Kaleb Edwards, Marshall Pritchett, Danny Lewis Jr. and Josh Ford have all been in the mix as camp has gone on, giving the staff more ways to build around matchups rather than force the same look snap after snap.
Grubb has made it clear that the goal is to use personnel in a way that tests defenses and keeps Alabama flexible from down to down. The tight ends have stood out as a bright spot in camp, and the expectation is that their usage will rise as the offense settles in. For a unit looking for reliable answers and a little more strain on opposing coverage, that kind of depth gives the Tide a useful edge before the season even gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Offensive Line Is Suddenly Fueling Real Buzz At Camp
There is a little more life around Alabamas offensive line this camp after a strong practice caught the attention of Aaron Taylor, the former Notre Dame lineman and Super Bowl champion who watched the group up close. Taylor came away impressed with the way the Tide were moving people in the run game, pointing to cleaner technique and a more forceful approach than he saw before, while also crediting the influence of offensive line coach Klemm.
For Alabama, that kind of outside validation matters because the line has been a central question as the offense tries to establish itself early in the season. Taylors read was that the group looked improved in the core areas that decide whether a team can control games at the line of scrimmage, and he especially noted the progress in run blocking. The question now is how consistently that camp buzz carries over once the real snaps start adding up. [Read more 🡒]