Alabama football is preparing to face Indiana in the Rose Bowl on January 1, as part of the College Football Playoff. The Crimson Tide is determined to avoid a third consecutive sluggish start on offense, a trend that has surfaced in recent crucial games.
Although the season has not been characterized by slow beginnings, the last few games have led to concerns about Alabama”s offensive execution. Following a disappointing performance against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, where Alabama struggled to recover from an early deficit, they managed to rally against Oklahoma, overcoming a 17-0 deficit to secure a victory in the first round of the playoff.
“We”ve got to stop doing first-quarter shenanigans, waiting to get the run game going in the second or third quarter,” said Alabama”s offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. “We”re capable of doing it earlier in the game. We”ve got good enough players. The scheme is there. We”ve just got to execute earlier in the football game.”
Looking ahead to the Rose Bowl, Grubb expressed confidence in his team”s ability to rise to the occasion. “It”s not been the case all year, but in some critical games it didn”t feel like we were ready for the physical strain early on,” he noted. “The guys know that. They”re up for the challenge. I think we”ll see a different football team in the first quarter of the Rose Bowl.”
Grubb emphasized the importance of maintaining the “resiliency” demonstrated during the Oklahoma game, particularly since Indiana is expected to respond forcefully if Alabama starts strong. “What they showed, what we felt they”ve been capable of all year, is when the chips are down, you”ve got to be at your best,” Grubb added. “Play to our standard. Not our circumstances.”
The winner of this pivotal matchup will advance to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff, with the next stage set for the Peach Bowl on January 9.
