After Alabama’s 56-23 win over Mississippi State, the message from one critic turned into a full-throated apology to offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.
A few weeks ago, that critic said he was frustrated with Alabama’s offense and openly questioned the play calling, the slow starts and whether the unit was improving fast enough. He even said he thought the Crimson Tide needed to move on from Grubb. Now, after watching the offense keep building, he says he was wrong.
What changed most Saturday in Starkville was the way Alabama handled the game from the jump. Facing an undefeated, ranked SEC opponent, the Tide scored 56 points and looked steady all the way through. Alabama put up 14 points in every quarter, and the offense never seemed rattled or out of sorts.
That kind of balance was a big part of the apology. Earlier in the season, the criticism centered on Alabama’s sluggish starts and the feeling that too much talent was being wasted by digging early holes. Against Mississippi State, the offense looked prepared, confident and in control.
Keelon Russell was a big reason why. His growth was described as hard to miss, and the point was made that whatever Grubb and the staff are doing with him is working.
Russell threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns and also scored on the ground. On the road against a ranked SEC team, it was called an impressive showing for a young quarterback.
Just as important, the offense is no longer leaning on Russell to carry everything. The write-up stressed that Alabama is now giving him a running game, easier throws and a better flow around him.
Trae’shawn Brown is running with physicality. EJ Crowell brings explosiveness.
Rico Scott is becoming a legitimate scoring threat. Lotzeir Brooks keeps making plays.
The point was simple: there are more ways for Alabama to hurt a defense now.
The apology also made clear that the earlier criticism was never meant personally. The writer said he never wanted Grubb to fail, never wanted to be right about Alabama needing a new offensive coordinator and instead wanted the offense to become what it could be. He also acknowledged that fans can be too quick to judge coaches, especially when a young team and a young quarterback are still learning together.
There was still room left for realism. The piece noted that not everything is perfect and that bad drives and questionable calls will still happen.
But the broader takeaway was that Alabama’s offense has clearly grown. It has a direction now, and Grubb deserves credit for that.
The closing message was direct: keep developing Russell, keep starting fast, keep making adjustments and keep proving people wrong. The critic said he would happily eat every word if it helps Alabama keep winning.
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Alabama Found Two Reasons To Feel Better Before Georgia
Before Alabama turns its attention to Georgia, there were a couple of encouraging signs worth noting from the latest game. Keelon Russell gave the offense a lift by throwing for 285 yards and three touchdowns while adding a score on the ground, and the run game got meaningful help from a deeper group of backs, including Traeshawn Brown and EJ Crowell.
Xavier Griffin also stood out on the other side of the ball, leading the team in tackles and helping make several key defensive plays. Just as important for a defense looking to steady itself, Alabamas run front was much firmer against Mississippi State, holding the Bulldogs to 18 rushing yards and giving the Tide something concrete to carry into a bigger test. [Read more 🡒]
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Keelon Russells rise has become one of the more notable developments around Alabamas early-season start, and the quarterbacks recent stretch has only sharpened the attention. After throwing four touchdowns in the spring game and then piling up 10 passing touchdowns and 970 yards over three games, he has helped steady a team that rolled to a 56-23 win and moved to 5-0.
For Alabama, that kind of production matters not just in the standings but in the broader SEC picture, where quarterback play can change the feel of a season quickly. Around the country, other programs were dealing with their own storylines in Week 5, but Russells emergence has given Alabama a promising answer at the position and left the rest of the league watching what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Has A Real Shot To Climb After Saturdays Top 25 Chaos
Saturdays college football slate did Alabama a favor, even before the next AP Top 25 poll gets posted. USC barely survived an upset scare, Ohio State and Missouri both had results worth watching, and a few teams around the country did enough to create the kind of weekend that tends to shake up the middle and upper tiers of the rankings.
For Alabama, the bigger point is simple: the Crimson Tide have a real path to move up if the voters decide the chaos mattered as much as the resumes. The poll will be refreshed soon, and with conference play still unfolding, there is a decent chance the order gets jumbled in a way that opens the door for Alabama to climb if enough teams ahead of it wobble. [Read more 🡒]