The Alabama Crimson Tide picked up their first win in three weeks after defeating Texas A&M 31-21 in Week 8. Although they've got back in the win column, there were still some concerns to take away from the game.
These concerns show how important a bye week in Week 9 can put the Tide in the best position to succeed for the rest of the season, especially when their season is on the line in a Week 10 rivalry game against the LSU Tigers.
Prior to the much-needed bye week, there have been some concerns regarding Alabama. The most obvious issue that the team has had comes from the offensive side of the ball. From play calling, to pass protection, to playmaking, everything has been shaken up the past three weeks.
A major concern for the Crimson Tide is offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb's ability to make in-game adjustments and establish a run game, and on top of that, making their young quarterback comfortable again, as Keelon Russell hasn't looked his best since his time in Starkville.
Pass protection has been a subject that has gone unnoticed for the majority of the year. Although it has been serviceable for almost every game, Tennessee made sure to bring a lot of pressure, sacking Russell five times. And with an injury to starting center Racin Delgatty, this forced Mal Waldrep to switch from left guard to center. As bad as this seems, he was Alabama's best-graded lineman against Tennessee and saw the most snaps in the Homecoming game against the Aggies.
Not only does the Crimson Tide need to focus on cleaning up certain areas during the bye week, but nursing key players back to health is a major focus as well, as injuries have been a consistent issue for Alabama, leading back to A-Day.
Alabama has talent on both sides of the ball, especially their wide receiving corps, but they have seen it become one of the most challenged groups. Transfer wide receiver Noah Rogers was having a breakout Spring training before he suffered a knee injury that threatened to end his season before it started. He made his debut against South Carolina on September. 26, but there have only been glimpses of him since then.
Additionally, veteran receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams-who is battling a knee injury on top of a recent head injury-has been a crucial blow for the Tide, leaving the remainder of the corps to fill a gap.
Adding to the stress, star defensive back Zabien Brown has also been sidelined, though coach Kalen DeBoer remains optimistic that both he and other key players will return for the pivotal matchup against LSU.
A trip to Death Valley won't be an easy task as the Tigers have done fairly well under first-year head coach Lane Kiffin; the last time the Crimson Tide secured a win in Baton Rouge was during the 2024 season, defeating the Tigers 42-13-highlighted by a dominant run game, specifically quarterback Jalen Milroe's explosive rushing performance.
If the Crimson Tide want to secure a dominant win next Saturday, they will need to draw from the last trip to Baton Rouge, which requires an emphasis on establishing a run game and maintaining it.
Grubb has been the center of attention for the past three weeks. The Crimson Tide opened the season averaging 40 or more points per game; however, that was not the case during the loss to Georgia and Tennessee.
According to fans, he has been to blame for the struggles. In past interviews, Grubb has called the offense 'Pathetic." He also has taken blame for the offensive struggles and even has publicly stated he understands why fans are angry, saying, "If I was a fan or supporter, I'd be pissed off too."
Grubb fully understands where the fans' anger is coming from and understands the importance of being competitive. As the season continues to unfold, Alabama will need to not only dominate their opponent, but regain a competitive identity.
The bye week is arguably the most important week of the season for the Alabama Crimson Tide, giving them time to get guys fully healthy before the team's toughest test for the remainder of the regular season. This also allows the team to fix all of the slip-ups in the offense and regain that chemistry displayed in the first five-game stretch of the season.
The bye week couldn't have come at a better time, which is why it's so important to flush out the past weeks, reset, and focus on the remaining four weeks of the regular season.