ALABAMA’S TOUGHNESS FACES A TEST AS OFFENSIVE STRUGGLES CONTINUE

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – For the first five weeks of the season, Alabama looked like one of the best offenses in the nation, averaging 49 points per game. However, over the last two weeks, they have just 27 points combined and have mustered just a combined three points in the second half of each game.

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“More questions than answers right now, and it starts with me,” Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said. “I thought I had a good game plan, this isnt a point the fingers at the kids kind of day. We're pissed off. I thought I had them ready to play, and I didn't.”

The question most Crimson Tide fans have been asking themselves is: what went wrong? Grubb and the defensive coordinator assured everyone it isn't a lack of toughness. 

“I think this is a very tough group,” Wommack said. “I think they're very physical; they play really hard. I think when you watch the way that we're playing right now, there are things that we need to get corrected from a fundamental standpoint. I think sometimes we probably play too hard at times; we overpursue at times, and there were some issues with mis-tackling in that regard. But from a physicality standpoint, I think that is something that we're doing a good job of.”

Grubb echoed a similar sentiment to Wommack. 

“They're as tough as hell,” Grubb said. “Those kids didn't quit for one second. And I believe in them. And like I said at the beginning, let's just line it back up and let's see where they're at at the end of the year. And I believed in these kids, and they are tough. They didn't quit; they fought hard, even at the game when things weren't perfect. I thought they kept throwing punches, and the guys kept Keelon up on the sideline; he was fighting with them.”

Now, with the Crimson Tide’s playoff hopes on life support, the toughness of the players and the coaching staff will be tested in the final five games of the regular season. 

The offense is coming off a lackluster performance, scoring just 10 points, with 201 total yards of offense and 47 rushing yards, all of which are season lows. But head coach Kalen DeBoer remains confident in Grubbs' ability to call plays. 

“I think he's a great play caller. I think that putting an offense together to understand tendencies and things like that, I think you've got to look at there's a lot of scenarios they go into, struggling at times, you know, as an offense, it again comes down to execution.”

DeBoer and company will look to end the Crimson Tide’s first two-game losing streak since 2013 on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC as Texas A&M comes to town.