Alabama's 31-20 Win Over Texas A&M Does Little to Quiet Questions About Ryan Grubb's Offense

Alabama ended its two-game losing streak with a 31-20 homecoming win over Texas A&M on Saturday. The way the Crimson Tide got there has kept the spotlight on offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. Alabama ran 28 times for 68 yards, 2.4 yards per carry, and went scoreless in the third quarter. It needed two fourth-quarter touchdown passes from Keelon Russell to pull away from an Aggies team that is now 1-4 in SEC play.

Hannah Stephens of Roundtable Sports argued that the win covered up the same problems that have followed this offense all season. She pointed to a run game that defenses don't have to respect and a growing reliance on Russell to make plays on his own. Daniel Hill led the rushers with 36 yards on nine carries, and Trae'shawn Brown had 11 yards on seven. Alabama converted 5 of 12 third downs and scored on three of its five trips inside the 20. Stephens framed the bye week as Grubb's chance to fix it: "He needs more answers."

The passing game was the reason Alabama won. According to ESPN's game recap, Russell went 19 of 30 for 311 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. His scoring throws went to Hill, Marshall Pritchett and a third score to a tight end late in the fourth. The Pritchett touchdown put Alabama ahead for good in the opening seconds of the final quarter. Rico Scott caught six passes for a career-high 156 yards, which BVM Sports also noted. Alabama did all of this while playing a second straight game without receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, who has a knee injury.

The defense came out of the game with problems of its own. ESPN reported that cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. was suspended and Red Morgan was ejected. Top cornerback Zabien Brown was already out with a leg injury. That leaves a thin secondary heading into a road game against a ranked opponent.

What it means for LSU

Alabama is 6-2 overall and 4-2 in the SEC. It has a week off before traveling to No. 15 LSU on Saturday, November 7 (ABC). The numbers explain why the offense is under so much scrutiny. Over its first five games, Alabama scored 248 points, an average of 49.6, including 56 at Mississippi State. In the three games since, it has averaged 19.3: 17 in the loss to Georgia, 10 in the loss at Tennessee and 31 against Texas A&M. The two losses came against the best defenses Alabama has faced this season, and the offense went quiet in both.

The Aggies also give a useful comparison. Alabama beat Texas A&M by 11 at home and had to come from behind in the fourth quarter to do it. LSU beat the same team 35-6 earlier this month. Texas A&M has scored 6 points in each of its road losses at LSU and Missouri, a sign that it struggles when it travels.

The bye gives Grubb two weeks to find a running game that can help Russell against an LSU defense playing at home. If the ground game stays near two yards a carry, Alabama will be asking its quarterback and Scott to carry the offense in Baton Rouge for the third time in four games. That's a lot to ask in a game with direct consequences for the SEC race. Texas A&M, at 4-4, plays at South Carolina the same day on ESPN2.