Ryan Grubb managed to turn a good offensive performance into another headache with Alabama fans.
After the Crimson Tide dealt with boos in the first quarter following back-to-back three-and-outs, Grubb didn’t hold back when talking about the reaction.
"I told the guys, I said, ‘Shoot guys, if you’d have quit as fast as some of your fans, shit, we wouldn’t have won that game," Grubb said.
He later apologized Monday night in a statement released by Yea-Alabama, but the damage was already done. The relationship between Grubb and a chunk of the fan base has been uneasy for a while, and his latest comments only widened that gap.
That wasn’t the only Alabama news Monday and Tuesday, either. Kalen DeBoer said injured offensive players AK Dear and Noah Rogers are both set to be available against South Carolina this weekend, though their exact roles are still up in the air.
Dear, who suffered a high-ankle sprain during the first scrimmage of fall camp, missed the first three weeks after being projected for a meaningful role in the backfield. That spot is a little more crowded now, with Daniel Hill, EJ Crowell and Trae'shawn Brown all playing well enough to make the rotation harder to crack.
Rogers is also on track to return sooner than expected. He was hurt in the spring during the A-Day scrimmage and had been expected to miss much more time, but he’s set to make his season debut within the first month.
Before the injury, he was expected to line up with Ryan Coleman-Williams and Lotzeir Brooks. In his absence, junior Rico Scott has handled the No. 3 receiver role and done well.
DeBoer doesn’t sound like he’s planning to throw Dear or Rogers straight into major roles this week, and that makes sense. With the offense starting to find its rhythm against Florida State last week, Alabama can afford to ease both players back in and let them build up gradually.
Elsewhere, Alabama’s road trip to Mississippi State on October 3 is headed for an early kickoff window rather than the spotlight slot many would have expected. If the Tide and Bulldogs both handle business against South Carolina and Missouri, respectively, the matchup could feature two undefeated teams. Even so, the game in Starkville is set for either 11 a.m. on ESPN or 11:45 a.m. on the SEC Network.
That may feel like a downgrade on paper, but it could work in Alabama’s favor. The early start should mean a less energized crowd than the kind that shows up for a night game after a full day of buildup.
On the recruiting front, Alabama picked up another flip over the weekend when it landed Tulane DL commitment Kavarris "Duke" Duncan, and it appears more movement could be coming soon.
Memphis defensive line commit Joshua Lane backed off his pledge to the Tigers right after an unofficial visit to Alabama over the weekend, and he’s expected back in October for an official visit with the Crimson Tide.
UConn cornerback commit Preston Glasco also decommitted Tuesday night ahead of his official visit to Alabama this weekend. Glasco is now in a three-team SEC fight, with Georgia and South Carolina also pushing hard for him.
In Other News...
Bryant-Denny Just Gave Alabama Fans A New Gameday Price Debate
Bryant-Denny Stadiums concession stands can make even a routine snack feel like part of the bigger gameday experience, and the Burnt End Nachos are a good example of how Alabama fans are now weighing taste against the kind of price tag that comes with eating inside a major venue. The review of the item found a decent portion and a familiar enough lineup of ingredients, but also noted that the same dish carries a much friendlier price at a local restaurant than it does under the stadium lights.
For fans filing through Tuscaloosa on Saturdays, the real debate is less about whether the nachos are enjoyable and more about whether they justify nearly $20 before tax for what is still, at the end of the day, a plate of stadium food. Thats the tradeoff Alabama supporters keep running into on game day: convenience, atmosphere, and a specialty menu item, all wrapped into one purchase that leaves the taste buds satisfied but the receipt hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Keelon Russell Just Entered A Bigger SEC Conversation
Rece Davis used his latest look around the SEC to put a spotlight on the leagues next wave of quarterbacks, and Alabamas Keelon Russell was right in the middle of it. As Davis sized up the conference heading into Week 4, he said Ole Miss remained his top team, but he also singled out four young passers who have already started to change the way their teams are viewed.
Russells inclusion matters because it keeps Alabama in the center of the SEC conversation even as other programs try to build momentum behind emerging quarterbacks like Tennessees Faizon Brandon, Vanderbilts Jared Curtis and Mississippi States Kamario Taylor. For Alabama, it is another sign that the Tides future at the position is drawing real attention, and that Russell is already being discussed alongside some of the leagues most promising young talents. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Pass Rush Has A New Difference-Maker Entering SEC Play
Through the first three games, Devan Thompkins has already become one of the more important additions on Alabamas defensive front. The USC transfer leads the Crimson Tide with three sacks, and his impact has shown up in more than just the stat sheet. Against Kentucky and Florida State, he gave Alabama a needed presence off the edge while also showing the versatility and poise the staff has come to lean on as SEC play begins.
Now the challenge gets a little more demanding, with South Carolina next on the schedule and Alabama looking for Thompkins to keep setting the tone up front. For a defense that wants to disrupt timing and force offenses into uncomfortable spots, his role only gets bigger from here. The early returns have been strong, but the next stretch will show how much of a difference-maker he can be when the competition tightens. [Read more 🡒]