Things could not have started much worse for Alabama today in Lexington. The first three offensive plays of the game went like this:
- Intentional grounding
- Two-yard loss by Daniel Hill
- Pick-six
Alabama was instantly down 7-0, digging itself a hole right away on the road. Again.
It's easy to get frustrated with Kalen DeBoer for Alabama once again not looking prepared to play as a road favorite, but the play calling to open the game by Ryan Grubb was baffling, too.
You would think, with a sophomore QB making his first career road start, you'd want to make things as easy as you possibly can for him to start the game. Something quick to get the ball out of his hands and get a nice profit to open the afternoon. Instead, Grubb called a slow-developing play, Russell missed an open checkdown, and then was brought down.
Alabama's second drive ended in a turnover, too, with Russell looking a bit overwhelmed at everything going on.
The play calling didn't get much better from there, with a questionable call on a third-and-goal costing the Crimson Tide a chance for a touchdown. After starting at the 11, Daniel Hill ran back-to-back times for a gain of nine yards, setting Alabama up from the two.
Instead of running it again, Grubb called a designed rollout to the left from empty. Kentucky blitzed the corner, and Russell was sacked, forcing a field goal.
Ryan Grubb has not set Keelon Russell up for success in his first road start
Russell threw another interception before halftime on a 2nd and 19, when he tried to force a ball down the sideline. It was the typical type of mistake a young QB makes that a good playcaller has to save him from.
This isn't to take the blame completely away from Russell, either. He hasn't been good enough. You can't turn the ball over three times in one half in a road SEC game and expect to win.
But he hasn't been set up for success by his coaches, either. They've put too much on his plate for his first career road start. Good coaches make things easy for their QBs. Alabama has made things more difficult for Russell.
Alabama may come back to win this game in the second half, but it's clear that this offense has some major issues to iron out. And it's fair to wonder whether those issues are ever going to get ironed out with Grubb calling plays.
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