One step forward, no steps back for Alabama football rushing attack

Alabama football's offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has identified eliminating negative plays as the most crucial aspect for the Crimson Tide rushing attack to improve in 2026. During a Monday press conference, Grubb emphasized the importance of consistently moving the ball forward and avoiding negative yardage runs. This objective, while seemingly simple, was often disregarded in the 2025 season.

The Alabama running backs frequently found themselves in the backfield, resulting in numerous rushing losses. For example, when Alabama was held to just minus-3 yards rushing in a loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, quarterback Ty Simpson lost 29 yards due to sacks. Additionally, Alabama's leading rusher, Daniel Hill, only recorded 11 yards net.

Grubb highlighted the need for clear communication and proper gap assignments to prevent penetration. He stated, "And I guess what I'm saying there is the communication piece that we're on the same page and we don't have busted A and B gap assignments. And for us, that's going to be priority one." Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23 and can be reached at cgoodbread@gannett.com.