Alabama has made a habit of digging itself an early hole the last two weeks, and the message around the program is clear: that can’t keep happening.
The Crimson Tide has still finished the job against Kentucky and Florida State, but the sluggish starts have opened the door to a bigger problem down the road. Opponents such as Georgia and LSU, as the conversation around the team suggests, could make those early empty possessions far more costly if Alabama doesn’t clean them up.
Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said Monday that the opening stretches looked closer than the results showed.
“Our first third down, I think was 3rd-and-3. We just barely slide out of a down block on a zero and honestly, we had a big crease there had we accomplished that,” Grubb said.
“And then on our third down on the next series, you know, (Lotzeir Brooks) doesn’t quite run out of the break the way Keelon (Russell) thought he was going to. There was a ton of space on the sideline open there.
So we ended up about a yard short on that one.
“And, you know, after that, they went on 9 straight scoring drives. So they did settle in pretty quickly. We had a good plan as far as for Keelon to be able to get him started simple and get the run game going as quick as we could.”
For Alabama tight end Marshall Pritchett, the fix starts immediately - with the very first snap.
“I would say it starts with the first play of the game,” Pritchett said. “Last week, little four-yard run, you know, 2nd-and-6, and then boom, offsides.
We call it GBOT. Get back on track.
Try and stay out of the 2nd-and-10s, the 2nd-and-9s.
“Coach (Ryan) Grubb talks about it all the time, getting a first down on first down goes a long way, especially first drive of the game, you’re still dealing with nerves and everything. I think we obviously trust his opening script play calls, we just got to go out there and execute better, stay in front of the sticks and I truly believe that will be something we’re going to do a good job at.”
That challenge will be front and center Saturday against South Carolina, with Alabama set to play at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Gamecocks are coming off a home loss to Mississippi State, and the Tide will be heavily favored when the teams kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.
Alabama offensive lineman William Sanders said the answer is as much about the group as it is about any one player.
“Pulling each other along,” Sanders said. “Everybody has a different role or a job to play.
At the end of the day we got to make sure that we do those roles, our roles to the best of our abilities. Move each other along.
If somebody’s slacking, grab them on and bring them along. At the end of the day, if we just keep that team mentality, we’ll start faster and faster every game.”
In Other News...
Alabamas Slow Starts Are About To Get Seriously Punished
Alabama has survived its first three games, but the early warning signs have been hard to miss. The Crimson Tide have needed second-half rallies to steady themselves, and that habit is about to be tested by a schedule that leaves very little room for slow starts. What looked like manageable early-season turbulence now sits in the shadow of a run that brings ranked opponents and real pressure almost immediately.
South Carolina and Mississippi State loom as the next checkpoints, and both carry enough intrigue to make Alabamas opening stretches matter even more. LaNorris Sellers and Kamario Taylor are among the names to watch in those matchups, but the broader concern for the Tide is simpler: if the sluggish opening quarters continue, the margin for error disappears fast once Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M and LSU all come into view. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Heads To South Carolina With Problems It Can't Keep Ignoring
Alabamas win over Florida State in Week 3 gave the offense plenty to like, with quarterback Keelon Russell helping the Tide score on nine consecutive drives. But the celebration came with a sharp reminder of how much cleaner the overall product still needs to be, because the defense gave up nearly 500 yards and 36 points in a game that could have easily turned into a much bigger conversation about balance.
As Alabama turns to South Carolina, the same issues are sitting right in front of it: slow starts that leave little margin for error, explosive plays that flip momentum, and third-down situations that have too often put the defense on its heels. Kane Wommacks unit will have to show it can sustain a better level for four quarters, because the Tide can afford to admire the offenses rhythm only if the other side of the ball stops creating new problems. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Win Was Comfortable But UTSA Exposed One Lingering Concern
Texas left Alabama with little doubt in Week 3, but the broader non-conference slate still gave the Crimson Tide something to think about. Across the American Conference, teams went 2-7 outside league play, and UTSA was one of the better examples of a team that at least found a little footing on one side of the ball. East Carolina also grabbed a needed win over Old Dominion after a rocky start, while Florida Atlantic and North Texas had mixed showings in their own games.
For Alabama, the comfort of the final result did not erase the fact that UTSA managed to reveal a lingering concern. The Roadrunners were better defensively than they had been earlier in the season, but their offense never really got going in the loss to Texas, which is the kind of uneven performance that can still matter for the Tides long view of where this team stands. Alabama got the win it wanted, but games like this are useful reminders that the details underneath the score still deserve a close look. [Read more 🡒]