Sometimes the easiest way to fix a problem is to stop talking about it and actually go fix it.
That's the mission Alabama's offense was on in the early going against South Carolina, after a week of fan backlash surrounding second-year offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb's comments and the Crimson Tide's annoying case of "slow-start-itus".
The response came almost immediately.
After punting on its opening possession, Grubb's unit needed just one play to flip the script as Keelon Russell and Lotzeir Brooks got the night started with a 75-yard touchdown strike — giving Alabama something it hadn't had on the scoreboard in its last two games: a first-quarter lead.
And then Ryan Coleman-Williams made sure the fast start wasn't a one-play fluke, joining Brooks in the offensive explosion with scores from 32 and 42 yards out as the Tide rattled off four straight scores.
By halftime, Grubb's unit had already piled up 318 yards of total offense and 28 points, but for the captain and junior wideout, Alabama's fast start wasn't something that just happened.
It was something the group made a point of emphasizing all week.
Alabama made starting fast a point of emphasis — and finally delivered
"It was definitely something that we put front and center all week, because we haven't started fast all year," Coleman-Williams told reporters postgame. "So, that was definitely something we wanted to do, and it felt great. It felt like we were playing some good team ball. We were feeding off of each other. The energy was high, and we were just executing. So, we're just still trying to get that complete 60-minute game from both sides. You know, we're still working at that, but it definitely feels great to come out fast."
“We’re still trying to get that complete 60-minute game"
Hearing that might be the scariest part, in my opinion.
Because if Alabama is still chasing its best full-game effort, what does this offense look like when Grubb finally gets them clicking from first possession to last?
An offense that was supposed to be "still feeling each other out" up to this point, while averaging over 460 yards a game and already scoring 45-plus points in each of its first four contests.
So maybe Saturday's biggest takeaway wasn't just that Alabama finally answered the problem that's plagued it the most over the first month of the season.
It was how emphatically Grubb's unit answered when they knew everyone was looking.
Now comes the real test.
A surprise top-25-ranked Mississippi State program that believes it's arrived. Another hard-nosed Georgia team that looks like they're primed for another run at an SEC title. A Tennessee team showing it'll give even No. 1-ranked Texas a run for its money in Knoxville. And a now-desperate two-loss Texas A&M squad.
And with October being near, the heart of the season is basically here. If Saturday night was any indication, Grubb's offense may have finally found the fast-starting rhythm Alabama will need when the games matter most.
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