Alabama’s offense looked like it had finally found some rhythm early in the season, and for a while that made it easy to wonder whether Ryan Grubb had really settled in as the Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator and play-caller. The run game was getting more attention, Keelon Russell was moving fast in his development, and Alabama looked the part of a national title contender.
Then the last two weeks hit, and everything changed.
Against two straight elite defenses, Grubb had no answers. Alabama managed just 27 points across consecutive regular-season losses for the first time since 2007, and with five games left, the margin for error in the College Football Playoff race has disappeared.
The offense has been out of sorts in every way: the run game has faded, the short passing game has been neglected, and Russell has been asked to carry too much in a tough road setting on Saturday. Alabama didn’t pick up a first down until its fourth possession, and the slow starts have become a pattern under Grubb.
In Alabama’s last 14 games against P4 teams, here are the results from the 1st drive of the game (the scripted drive):
Turnover
Turnover
48 yard TD drive
3 and out
3 and out
Turnover
Turnover
Punt
3 and out
3 and out
Punt
3 and out
Turnover on downs
3 and out pic.twitter.com/ZoyOSsIlN8
- Roll Tide Rewind (@RollTideRewind) October 18, 2026
If Kalen DeBoer is serious about winning big at Alabama, this may force an uncomfortable call on someone he has worked with for a long time. And if the season ends with Grubb gone, these are four names he should already have in mind.
No. 4 on the list is Mitch Dahlen, now the offensive coordinator at Oregon State. DeBoer knows him well.
Dahlen worked under him at Fresno State, Washington, and Alabama, and he was in Tuscaloosa the past two seasons before heading to Corvallis with JaMarcus Shephard. His first year calling plays has been outstanding, with Oregon State leading the nation in yards per play at 7.2.
The familiarity is obvious, though the jump to Alabama after just one season as a play-caller could be a lot too soon. Still, there’s at least one extra angle here: he could potentially bring Oregon State wide receiver Jesse Legree with him to Tuscaloosa.
Bryan Ellis sits at No. 3, and the argument is simple: the answer might already be in the building. Alabama’s quarterbacks coach came to the staff two years ago to coach tight ends before moving over after Nick Sheridan left for the Michigan State offensive coordinator job.
Ellis has already called plays before, and he led productive offenses at Georgia Southern and Western Kentucky. If Grubb and Alabama go their separate ways after the season, Ellis would offer a smooth handoff that should keep the roster calm.
At No. 2 is Chip Kelly, and that would be a much bigger swing. Northwestern is 5-1 and in the Top 25, and Kelly’s fingerprints are all over that surge.
The Wildcats’ offense has gone from 91st in yards per play last season to 35th in 2026 under his watch, and Kelly has once again shown he can shape a system around what his personnel does best. He even handled the offense at Ohio State two years ago, when the Buckeyes won the National Championship.
For DeBoer, this would mean stepping outside his comfort zone, but it would also bring in a coach who could raise the ceiling.
The top name is Rob Ezell, Wake Forest’s offensive coordinator and a former Alabama walk-on. Ezell joined Jake Dickert’s staff in 2025 and has quickly become one of the fastest-rising young coaches in the country.
Wake Forest is 6-1 and in the thick of the College Football Playoff race, with its only blemish a competitive loss to Miami, and the offense has been a major reason why. The Demon Deacons are 11th in the country in yards per play, and Ezell could view this as a “Momma calling” chance to come home and run the offense at his alma mater.
In Other News...
Tennessee's Celebration Just Added Another Twist To This Alabama Rivalry
Tennessees latest win over Alabama already carried the usual rivalry weight, and now it has come with an SEC penalty attached. The league fined the Volunteers $500,000 after fans rushed the field following the victory, a scene that has become familiar in college football but still runs afoul of conference policy when it crosses the line into the competition area.
For Alabama, the detail that stands out is where that money is headed. The fine will be paid to the Crimson Tide, while Tennessee does have a path to argue for a reduction if it can show it took steps to prevent the breach or that contact was minimal. The SEC also leaves room for schools to stage on-field celebrations, but only if they submit procedures in advance and get them approved, which gives this rivalry another layer of paperwork to go with the emotion. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Faces A Brutal Truth After Tennessee Exposed This Weakness
Alabamas trip to Tennessee turned into a blunt reminder of where things stand after a 26-10 loss that sent the Crimson Tide into consecutive regular-season defeats for the first time since 2007. ESPN analyst Greg McElroy pointed to the line of scrimmage as the defining issue, with Tennessee dictating play and Alabama unable to match the Volunteers physical edge.
The offensive problems only made the night harder to absorb, as turnovers and an ineffective rushing attack left Alabama searching for answers. Tennessees strong ground game helped control the flow throughout, and now the Tide head into an important rebound spot against Texas A&M with pressure to respond quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Faces A Bigger Question Than Just The Tennessee Loss
Alabamas 26-10 loss to Tennessee would have been enough to force a reset on its own, but the bigger issue coming out of the weekend is the injury list that kept the Crimson Tide from looking like itself. Head coach Kalen DeBoer spent time afterward updating the status of Zabien Brown, EJ Crowell, Ryan Coleman-Williams, Racin Delgatty and Terrance Green, a reminder that the season is being shaped not just by results, but by who is available to take the field.
The encouraging part for Alabama is that the group is being handled on a week-to-week basis, with some players expected back at practice soon. Still, until those bodies return and the Tide can see how quickly they regain rhythm, the conversation around the program is going to be about depth, availability and whether the roster can stabilize fast enough to keep the loss from turning into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]