Florida State is walking into Tuscaloosa on Saturday with Alabama’s defense looking like the real deal and a few key offensive questions still hanging in the air.
To get a clearer picture of what the Seminoles are facing against No. 10 Alabama, we checked in with Bama247 insider Brett Greenberg and asked him five questions about the Crimson Tide. His answers painted a team that is still ironing out some things on offense, but has plenty of confidence in its defense and a rushing attack that already looks sturdier than it did a year ago.
The biggest early storyline on offense is Keelon Russell, and Greenberg said the conversation around the quarterback depends on where you’re standing. “Inside the building, nothing has changed.
Outside? Some wanted Austin Mack to go into the game against Kentucky to start the second half,” he said.
Russell’s start against Kentucky was shaky, but Greenberg pointed out that a first-year starter making his first road start is bound to have some rough patches. Russell eventually settled in and hit some big throws, even if there’s still plenty to clean up.
As for the drop in designed runs after Russell led Alabama in carries and rushing yards against East Carolina, Greenberg said that wasn’t the plan moving forward. Russell’s legs remain part of what made him win the job in the first place, but Alabama clearly doesn’t want that to be the weekly blueprint.
What changed after halftime against Kentucky was the same thing Alabama coaches kept circling back to: the defense took over. Greenberg noted that Kalen DeBoer emphasized in his postgame comments that the Tide always felt in control, especially on that side of the ball.
The game started with seven points off a pick-six, then another interception late in the half set up three more. Kentucky’s lone touchdown came on a coverage bust.
After that, Alabama’s defense ramped up the pressure and made life miserable for the Wildcats’ offensive line in the third and fourth quarters. The run game also got more consistent, which eased some of the burden on Russell.
That rushing attack is one area where Greenberg sees real progress. He called it a clear yes when asked whether there’s more belief in the ground game now than there was under DeBoer’s first two seasons in Tuscaloosa.
Last fall’s run game was so limited that there wasn’t much room to get worse, but the early returns this season have been better. Greenberg pointed to improved play up front, Daniel Hill’s step forward, and a freshman pair in EJ Crowell and Trae'Shawn Brown, who have both scored in each of Alabama’s first two games.
Hill’s 100-plus yard outing against Kentucky was the fourth such game since DeBoer took over in 2024.
On the receiver front, Ryan Coleman-Williams remains one of the more intriguing names in the room, even if the consistency hasn’t fully returned to what he flashed early in his career. Greenberg said Coleman-Williams burst onto the scene as a freshman, especially in the win over Georgia, but the same explosiveness hasn’t shown up as often since.
The drops are the obvious issue. He had two in the opener against East Carolina, though he still finished with 130 receiving yards on five catches.
Against Kentucky, he posted four receptions for 43 yards. That line may not jump off the page, but Greenberg said many Alabama fans would take it if it means the drops disappear.
Defensively, Greenberg didn’t see much need to choose between the front and the back end. If forced to pick, he leaned toward the secondary.
He highlighted the veteran safety tandem of Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb, along with rotation help from Ivan Taylor and freshman Jireh Edwards. In the nickel spot, Red Morgan and Chuck McDonald III have both been strong.
At corner, Zabien Brown and Dijon Lee Jr. stand out as some of the best in the country, with transfer Carmelo O'Neal also in the mix. Alabama is also down three players there because of injury.
The defensive line, though, has also taken a step from last season. Greenberg mentioned transfer additions Devan Thompkins, Terrance Green and Kedrick Bingley-Jones as players who look the part early.
And the linebacker group has its own standout in Virginia Tech transfer Caleb Woodson, who brings elite athleticism and speed. Sophomore Luke Metz also made a big offseason jump and is already producing at a high level, including a pick-six in the Kentucky win.
For Florida State, that’s the picture: a quarterback still settling in, a run game that looks more reliable, and a defense that appears loaded at every level.
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