Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb agrees with Crimson Tide fans. He wants to see his offense be able to run the football better than it did in 2025, his first year of calling the plays.
“I know everybody is dying to see (us be) a little bit better in the run game. Obviously, I would be one of those people,” Grubb told WAKA Action 8 News at the ALFCA convention last week. “And I think for us, the physical mindset that we got to have week in and week out in the SEC to be successful running the football will be paramount to how we can play next year on offense.”
Alabama struggled to run the ball this past season. The Crimson Tide ranked 125th out of 136 FBS teams in rushing offense with an average of 104.13 yards per game on the ground. Over its final three games, UA produced 48 combined rushing yards on 58 attempts (0.83 ypc).
Alabama only had one running back finish with more than 300 yards for the season (Jam Miller, 504) and one player rush for more than 100 yards in a game (Miller vs. Vanderbilt, 136). Miller is out of eligibility, and UA has to replace four starters from last year’s offensive line.
Eleven new linemen were added to the roster, including six from the transfer portal, and that unit will be led by a new position coach, as Adrian Klemm takes over for Chris Kapilovic. Improving in the run game was clearly a point of emphasis for the Tide this offseason, and like most things, it starts up front with the O-line. Kalen DeBoer shared his thoughts, as well.
“It always comes down to execution,” DeBoer said, via WSFA 12 News. “And so, you look and you think physicality and toughness, but really, moving people, it’s everyone being in sync. It’s everyone working together. And that’s the offensive line, but it’s also the quarterback in pass pro, understanding where your man side is, where your zone side is, where your unblocked defenders are at. In the run game, your running back, reading the blocks of the guys in front of you.
“So, again, that’s repetition. That’s guys being in tune to each other. So, it’s not just always that position. It’s everyone working together that we got to improve.”
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