Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb took the us-against-the-world mentality a step too far this week after calling out fans during Monday's press conference previewing his team's next game against South Carolina.
After the Crimson Tide's first-team offense experienced a chorus of boos in the first quarter of Saturday's win over Florida State after consecutive three-and-outs to open, Grubb motivated his players by proving the capacity crowd wrong inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Alabama's offense responded with five consecutive scoring drives, including three touchdowns, to lead Florida State at halftime, 26-21.
"I was proud of the guys, they just didn't have any quit," Grubb said. "We had some boo birds. I told the guys, 'Shoot, guys, if you would've quit as fast as some of your fans, s***, we wouldn't have won the game.' So I was proud of them, for a bunch of 19-year-olds to go out there down 21-6 and not flinch, I was super proud of them."
Grubb's admission sparked immediate outrage on social media, with many attributing the boos to him because of the play-calling malfunctions rather than execution issues with the players.
Grubb apologized for the remarks a few hours later on "X" through a post via the university's NIL arm, Yea Alabama, saying he should've worded his statement differently.
"I should have worded my statement today more carefully," Grubb said in the statement. "This is a special place with an incredible fanbase that all of us are thankful for. I have been spoiled by our great fans who are a sense of inspiration for our players.
"I let my loyalty and passion for my players affect my choice of words and offend some people that I certainly would have never intended to -- the Crimson Tide faithful -- and for that I apologize."
Considering Alabama moved up two spots this week in the AP Top 25 to No. 8 after its third straight win to open the season, the last thing this team needs is a distraction from a coordinator. And turning players against Alabama supporters, the ones who have shown up every weekend the last few years following a coaching staff transition, is not the recipe for success.
Grubb promised this offseason that the Crimson Tide would take a more physical approach offensively, and they've done so, enhancing their rushing attack to 209.6 yards per game -- more than double last season's average, which ranked 15th in the SEC.
Alabama moved into CBS Sports' latest CFP projection this week and is a 13.5-point favorite on Saturday against South Carolina. Each of Kalen DeBoer's first two matchups with the Gamecocks has been competitive, including last season's road win in the fourth quarter.
