Alabama football OC Ryan Grubb matching wits against SEC's best defense | Goodbread
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The best defense in the SEC visits Bryant-Denny Stadium this weekend, and the Alabama football offense isn’t exactly hitting a stride. The timing, frankly, couldn’t be worse for the Crimson Tide.
Oklahoma ranks first in the league in scoring defense (14.1 points per game), total defense (264 yards per game), and tackles for loss (10.8 per game). Led by a versatile, dynamic linebacker in Kendal Daniels, OU’s defense is what has kept the Sooners in the College Football Playoff picture. UA quarterback Ty Simpson called it the most disruptive defense Alabama has faced to date.
And it’s not lost on Simpson, or offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, that Alabama sputtered to its second-lowest point total of the season in a 20-9 win over LSU. The run game looks like it’s stepping in tar, and even the passing game that’s been so reliable looked disjointed against the Tigers.
Grubb’s innovative play calling, however, has kept this offense a step ahead of the opposition throughout an eight-game winning streak. He employs a wide array of formations, sprinkling old-school looks like the Power-I in with more modern shotgun sets. He maintains a diverse screen package, loves misdirection, and he’s got a trick play ready to spring at any moment. LSU’s defense played well, but it certainly never knew what was coming next.
Which brings us back to the Sooners defense, which has a reputation for knowing exactly what’s coming next. Grubb will have to be at his mastermind best to keep this OU defense guessing, and he’ll have to do it without much help from a running game that’s not going to suddenly going to spring to life against the best defense in the league.
It’s wits versus hits. With nothing less than a likely spot in the SEC Championship Game at stake.
Quotable
“(He) knows how to create leverage, formationing and motions. Understands defense really well. They do a lot of things at the line to put them in an advantageous position. They do a lot of — if its blitz, do this. If it’s man, do this. If it’s zone coverage, do that. They do a good job of teaching the quarterback those things.” – Oklahoma coach Brent Venables on Alabama OC Ryan Grubb.
Matchup to watch
Oklahoma WR Isaiah Sategna vs. Alabama DB’s DaShawn Jones and Red Morgan
Sategna, at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, is the Sooners’ top pass catcher and plays almost exclusively in the slot, and maintains a robust average per catch (14.1 yards). That’s uncommonly good for a slot receiver. He’ll draw most of his coverage from Jones and Morgan, who of late have been splitting more time at the Husky (nickelback) position. Jones is the usual starter, but Morgan has played some of his best football in recent weeks.
Etc.
Alabama has much the same spoiler opportunity against the Sooners this week that OU had a year ago in Norman. Oklahoma knocked the Crimson Tide out of the playoff hunt by handing UA its third regular season loss last year, and now comes Bryant-Denny Stadium, at 7-2, at risk of the same third-loss consequence. … OU’s special teams play has been stellar, with an SEC-leading punt average of 46.9 yards, and a kicker in Tate Sandell who connects on 18 of 19 field goals, including six from 50-plus yards.
Around the SEC
Along with Alabama-OU, Texas-Georgia is the other high-stakes game in the SEC this week. A Georgia win would all but eliminate Texas from both the College Football Playoff and SEC title contention. A Texas win would end the Bulldogs’ SEC title hopes, but wouldn’t put them out of the CFP hunt. … South Carolina (3-6) travels to Texas A&M (9-0) as the biggest underdog of any SEC matchup this season; the Aggies are favored by 19.5 points.
Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23. Reach him at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X.com @chasegoodbread.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football OC Ryan Grubb matching wits against SEC’s top defense
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