What Alabama football run game excitement looks like on Crimson Tide practice field

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

Ryan Grubb wants Alabama football to be “freaking excited” about running the football. Instead of being bogged down by the 3.63 yards-per-carry average, get excited by the opportunity to fix it, and flex the results.

And as Alabama prepares for LSU, a defense the Crimson Tide ran all over in 2024, quarterback Ty Simpson is seeing tangible evidence of that excitement.

“When we call a run play in the huddle, guys need to be like, ‘Heck yeah, we’re going to get 8 yards here,'” Simpson said.

Because Simpson knows what happens if Alabama doesn’t do that. Teams set the tone with their run game, he said. Being one-dimensional and bailing out the offense solely with the pass game is not an option.

“It’s a hard way to live,” Simpson said.

So how can the Crimson Tide fix its running woes, an attack ranked third-worst in the SEC and No. 114 nationally?

To Alabama offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor, it starts with communication. Everyone, from Simpson to Jam Miller and Daniel Hill, to the offensive line needs to know the run concept: how it is supposed to be run, and how it’s supposed to be blocked.

It’s about mindset too, Proctor said. Alabama needs to stay on blocks longer and, simply, finish.

But it’s also about encouragement.

“I feel like we do a good job of like, even just in the huddle, just fist bumping… saying ‘let’s go,'” Proctor said. “If I know Jam’s getting the ball, I’m like, ‘come on. I’m with you.'”

Simpson will even tuck and run if he has to.

While he may not be the 185-yard runner Jalen Milroe was against LSU in 2024, Simpson said running the ball is an “underrated part of (his) game.”

“Any chance that I can help the team, whether it’s just taking off and running, a designed run or even an option, right, I’m all for it,” Simpson said. “We got some stuff ready, but, like we always do, right, just execute the play that’s called.”

Alabama kicks off against LSU at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Nov. 8 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: What Alabama football run game excitement looks like

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos