Is Alabama Putting Keelon Russell in a Position to Succeed?

Alabama's offensive struggles have put offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb under the microscope, particularly after the Crimson Tide's loss to Tennessee three weeks ago.

Grubb didn't shy away from the criticism, accepting responsibility for the loss and the lack of offensive movement in Knoxville.

A few days after Alabama got back on the horse and defeated Texas A&M, head coach Kalen DeBoer stood up for his longtime OC and expressed that Grubb shouldn’t be the point of blame here.

"I was a play-caller, so I know the way you envision it doesn't always go the way you want," DeBoer told The Tuscaloosa News. "But usually there's a reason for that: an execution error or things like that. You're just trying to put your guys in the best spots."

DeBoer may have a point. Through the first five games, the Tide didn’t have a game where they scored less than 45 points. Until Georgia and Tennessee came around and left the Tide with just a combined 27 points.

Competition certainly plays a role here though. Prior to facing both rivals, Alabama only played one ranked team – 16th-ranked Mississippi State – a team that ranks 83rd in points allowed per game.

Georgia and Tennessee are in the top-25 in that same category.

There’s a lot to be said about how the execution went these past two weeks for Alabama. The offense is still very inexperienced, as quarterback Keelon Russell tries to navigate the balance between being an efficient pocket passer or one that is looking to make the big play down the field.

Since Georgia week, Russell has been seen holding the ball much longer than he should. Because of that, he’s been sacked 22 times for a total of 142 yards. His average time-to-throw is 3.11 seconds, which indicates that he’s likely scrambling or looking to make a deep play.

Checks out.

But here’s where the problem lies.

DeBoer may have a point where the execution of plays can be the reason for the offensive slump. But why are you having your 19-year-old, first year starting quarterback look to make deep throws against SEC defensive powerhouses?

If anything, with a young quarterback, you want to ease into the game, so he feels confident enough to make that deep pass.

Russell has the arm talent and the eye to make these throws work. But making them under pressure is a whole different story.

For example – look what happened in the Texas A&M game. Deep in the Alabama zone, Russell made a heroic play, escaping significant pressure from the Aggies. 

As he escaped the pressure, Russell attempted to find Derek Meadows while throwing on the run. However, the pressure affected his mechanics, causing the pass to fall short and into the hands of Dezz Ricks.

Alabama's defense bailed him out by holding the Aggies to a field goal, but those types of mistakes can be costly against SEC competition.

The point is, you need to know your quarterback. The execution hasn’t been great these past three weeks, but neither has the play calling.

In years past, Grubb has had a more experienced quarterback manning the offense, from Michael Penix to Geno Smith to Ty Simpson.

Sometimes, you have to adjust your system to the personnel you have available. And right now, Alabama needs to do a better job of putting Russell in positions to succeed.