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What is Grubb missing as a play caller?
Posted on 1/5/26 at 2:07 pm
Posted on 1/5/26 at 2:07 pm
As an OC/play caller Kiffen, Sark, and even Lincoln Riley had a couple of things that Grubb is missing. With Kiff/Sark/Riley they all had a running game but their was also the ability to stack plays in a way to produce multiple kill shots later in the games. The play stacking showed up big time in their opening scripts but also led to additional oportunities beyond the opening script. Play action and/or route options were often what would spring the kill shots.
Grubb appears to attempt to manufacture kill shots with trick plays rather than stacking plays to create the openings for a kill shot. He does not appear to understand how to stack plays to generate bigger oportunities.
The ability to build play stacking opening scripts requires a level of understanding of how a particular defense sets the rules of operation. That is a heavy film study process and often background education on how a defense structure is built. Sark, Kiffen, and RIley all worked under high end defensive coaches and they were able to learn from those minds and apply what they learned. Kiffen even had one of those defensive minds as his father.
Grubb has an inventive mind for gadget plays but does not appear to have the operational foundation to generate play stacking within a specific game plan as well as from gama to game structure that builds upon itself.
Grubb appears to attempt to manufacture kill shots with trick plays rather than stacking plays to create the openings for a kill shot. He does not appear to understand how to stack plays to generate bigger oportunities.
The ability to build play stacking opening scripts requires a level of understanding of how a particular defense sets the rules of operation. That is a heavy film study process and often background education on how a defense structure is built. Sark, Kiffen, and RIley all worked under high end defensive coaches and they were able to learn from those minds and apply what they learned. Kiffen even had one of those defensive minds as his father.
Grubb has an inventive mind for gadget plays but does not appear to have the operational foundation to generate play stacking within a specific game plan as well as from gama to game structure that builds upon itself.
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Posted on 1/5/26 at 2:11 pm to Tw1st3d
- an OL that can reliably pass block and get to the second level on run plays at least some of the time
- the threat of a downfield passing game, hinging on said OL to be able to protect
- actually throwing said downfield passes when given 1 on 1's
- RBs that can make a defense pay with chunk plays when a lane or cutback is available
We had basically none of those consistently. I will say he did himself no favors by not incorporating screens or hot routes when it was clear our OL and QB were shitting themselves in certain games.
It cannot be stated enough that we averaged NEGATIVE yards before contact in some games this year. That is an astounding figure that the best OC's in history would have issues solving.
- the threat of a downfield passing game, hinging on said OL to be able to protect
- actually throwing said downfield passes when given 1 on 1's
- RBs that can make a defense pay with chunk plays when a lane or cutback is available
We had basically none of those consistently. I will say he did himself no favors by not incorporating screens or hot routes when it was clear our OL and QB were shitting themselves in certain games.
It cannot be stated enough that we averaged NEGATIVE yards before contact in some games this year. That is an astounding figure that the best OC's in history would have issues solving.
This post was edited on 1/5/26 at 2:14 pm
Posted on 1/5/26 at 2:13 pm to Tw1st3d
quote:
With Kiff/Sark/Riley they all had a running game but there was also the ability to stack plays in a way to produce multiple kill shots later in the games. The play stacking showed up big time in their opening scripts but also led to additional opportunities beyond the opening script. Play action and/or route options were often what would spring the kill shots.
This is my biggest complaint with Grubb. When I watch him call a game, it doesn't really feel like he has a plan. I see no real cohesiveness in his playcalling.
I also dislike how much he relies on bunching his formations, as opposed to spreading out the defense. I think the formations he favors exacerbated our issues in the running game.
Posted on 1/5/26 at 2:16 pm to Tw1st3d
Sark was the master at this. I remember the Georgia game in Tuscaloosa where he ran a play to Waddle early in the game. Saw how the defense covered it, and then ran the play with a nuisance change and Waddle scored a TD.
It just seems like he runs his plays without an adaption or plan later.
It just seems like he runs his plays without an adaption or plan later.
Posted on 1/5/26 at 2:16 pm to Tw1st3d
A run game.
/thread
/thread
Posted on 1/5/26 at 2:23 pm to Sl0thstronautEsq
quote:
This is my biggest complaint with Grubb. When I watch him call a game, it doesn't really feel like he has a plan.
Same. The next time I see him clearly identify the weak point in a defense, whether it be schematic or a match up problem, and exploit it until they adjust will be the first. He knew he didn't have a run game to lean on, but did everything he could to make it worse by
quote:
bunching his formations, as opposed to spreading out the defense
and doing nothing to force the defense to run side to side early in games to soften them up for runs between the tackles and deep shots later. Kiffin and Sark did that masterfully.
Posted on 1/5/26 at 2:24 pm to Tw1st3d
Grubb has a lot of the icing but none of the cake, no pun intended.
Posted on 1/5/26 at 2:31 pm to bamabenny
100% in alignment with benny on this one.
We didnt run the Grubb/UW offense because we had neither the QB (due to injury) or the OL to execute it with any level of consistency nor did we have the run game required to grind out first downs.
The lack of explosive plays made the path to points incredibly perilous this year whereas UW was basically an explosion based offense predicated on vertical passing and stretching defenses to run underneath.
We didnt run the Grubb/UW offense because we had neither the QB (due to injury) or the OL to execute it with any level of consistency nor did we have the run game required to grind out first downs.
The lack of explosive plays made the path to points incredibly perilous this year whereas UW was basically an explosion based offense predicated on vertical passing and stretching defenses to run underneath.
Posted on 1/5/26 at 2:35 pm to Robot Santa
quote:
and doing nothing to force the defense to run side to side early in games to soften them up for runs between the tackles and deep shots later. Kiffin and Sark did that masterfully.
I miss the days of the early jet sweeps
Posted on 1/5/26 at 2:38 pm to Vulcan Materials
When something is eating away at the roots (foundation) until it begins to show up as dead on the surface. You best be looking for the grub worms and figuring out how to get them out of the dirt.
Posted on 1/5/26 at 2:56 pm to Tw1st3d
This crew gets 2026 to get it fixed. It's up to Kalen to determine how to fix so many issues. Trying to retain or add to his roster is the deal this weak.
Posted on 1/5/26 at 3:02 pm to Sl0thstronautEsq
quote:
This is my biggest complaint with Grubb. When I watch him call a game, it doesn't really feel like he has a plan. I see no real cohesiveness in his playcalling.
This is my issue along with the not so random trick play.
I wouldn't call it not having a plan. We did but we didn't have the QB to actually execute it to make things work. I will say that even if we did this type of offense isn't a cohesive styled one or one built on "linking" plays.
This goes with Twisted's point of not stacking plays... meaning doing different things from the same look to confuse and create imbalance.
I will say we did a version of that but we didn't stack them like say Sark does (when he makes teams go east and west the first half then uses the same play configuration to trick the defense into that while hitting them over the top). We just outright use misdirection to create opening but even then it's hard for your stuff to work when the primary function of the offense is to get balls vertically to back up the safeties.
This is the key component for why we ran less and why things stopped working once teams knew Ty's tendencies.
The offense is predicated on vertical passing and if you don't do it, it's very easy to control and suppress the rest of the offense when you know what the QB feels comfortable doing.
It's like a team that likes to run the ball and use playaction off the run... if you stop their run or they don't attempt to run then it makes everything else harder.
Posted on 1/5/26 at 3:05 pm to Tw1st3d
quote:
When something is eating away at the roots (foundation) until it begins to show up as dead on the surface.
This is our Strength and Conditining. The program has slowly eaten away our physicality, strength and endurance. We haven't played 4 full quarters for so long.. well before Saban left.
We have other teams push us around and it isn't just because technique or playcalling. We are just getting beat. The talent has been well built and for me Ballou and co has to go for us to see a difference.
That's the starting point. If we fix that rot then that things will become to natural get better
Posted on 1/5/26 at 3:09 pm to YStar
I am still concerned about red zone running. Everything gets compacted, including the safeties. How does a proper Grubb offense account for a very short field when wanting to at least threaten the run?
Posted on 1/5/26 at 3:12 pm to LovetheLord
quote:
I am still concerned about red zone running. Everything gets compacted, including the safeties. How does a proper Grubb offense account for a very short field when wanting to at least threaten the run?
I agree with you here but again that is on KDB. He as the HC can tell Grubb to "Run Da Bawl!!" at any time.
I'm hoping another season in the league helps him balance when to do what. However we do have a high success rate in these 4th down situations
Posted on 1/5/26 at 3:33 pm to Tw1st3d
I don’t know if this makes sense and I’m not sure I can explain what I mean … I don’t think Grubb realizes there’s a point to all this
Posted on 1/5/26 at 3:36 pm to bamabenny
quote:
- an OL that can reliably pass block and get to the second level on run plays at least some of the time
- the threat of a downfield passing game, hinging on said OL to be able to protect
- actually throwing said downfield passes when given 1 on 1's
- RBs that can make a defense pay with chunk plays when a lane or cutback is available
We had basically none of those consistently. I will say he did himself no favors by not incorporating screens or hot routes when it was clear our OL and QB were shitting themselves in certain games.
It cannot be stated enough that we averaged NEGATIVE yards before contact in some games this year. That is an astounding figure that the best OC's in history would have issues solving.
Absolutely all of this. I was extremely frustrated with the lack of a running game this year just like everyone else, but I will say that at least it seems like Grubb wants to run the ball. It wasn't until the end of the year when I think he had given up on our rushing attack that he more or less stopped calling running plays. Earlier in the year the complaint was that he kept calling running plays despite the fact that they weren't working. And a lot of the trick plays that people complain about were him trying to manufacture rushing yards when he knew that standard plays to the RBs wouldn't work. So I don't know that we can really judge him as a playcaller yet. I think it's clear that he is going to get at least 2026 to try and right the ship. Hopefully he can, with some new players.
Posted on 1/5/26 at 3:37 pm to InkStainedWretch
quote:
I don’t know if this makes sense and I’m not sure I can explain what I mean … I don’t think Grubb realizes there’s a point to all this
If you're saying he doesn't want to be here and only came to Bama as a last resort after getting fired in Seattle I'd agree with that. I don't think he has any enthusiasm whatsoever for being the Alabama OC. He seems like he's biding his time until something he likes better comes open and the stink of getting fired has worn off.
Posted on 1/5/26 at 3:46 pm to RollTide33
No, I am not saying that at all.
Let me try to explain … the point is not to hit on some wild-hair calls at specific moments in a game so that you can high five the other coaches in the box. It’s to take and keep control of a game. Which IMO involves diagnosing an opponent’s weaknesses and hammering at those weaknesses with your play calling until the opponent either adjusts and removes those weaknesses, or submits.
The Beatles famously cut up pieces of tape and then spliced them back together at random for the ending of one of their Sgt. Pepper songs, “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite.” Sometimes it seems like Grubb does that with his game plan. There’s no cohesion and no point.
Let me try to explain … the point is not to hit on some wild-hair calls at specific moments in a game so that you can high five the other coaches in the box. It’s to take and keep control of a game. Which IMO involves diagnosing an opponent’s weaknesses and hammering at those weaknesses with your play calling until the opponent either adjusts and removes those weaknesses, or submits.
The Beatles famously cut up pieces of tape and then spliced them back together at random for the ending of one of their Sgt. Pepper songs, “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite.” Sometimes it seems like Grubb does that with his game plan. There’s no cohesion and no point.
This post was edited on 1/5/26 at 3:48 pm
Posted on 1/5/26 at 5:13 pm to Tw1st3d
All of the issues mentioned plus he seems to overcomplicate simple play calling. For example, our multiple-look 4th down attempt at our 35-yard line. Why not have Hill learn to make a read on the handoff to Germie? He’s 240 lbs and could’ve easily picked up the first down if he kept it and ran straight ahead.
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