🏈 Alabama OC Ryan Grubb showed he’s trick-play mastermind vs South Carolina: ‘Crazy sometimes’ - AL.com

[SEC Sports]

Alabama OC Ryan Grubb showed he’s trick-play mastermind vs South Carolina: ‘Crazy sometimes’

Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb went into his bag and pulled out some new tricks against South Carolina. That made all the difference late in the game.

www.al.com

The fans shouted as the conquering hero emerged from the gates.

Coach Grubb! Roll Tide!

Ryan Grubb, the offensive mastermind, was leaving the building. The Alabama offensive coordinator pumped his fist as he walked toward the busses, fresh off a 29-22 victory over South Carolina on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.

After his offense sputtered for much of the day, Grubb showed why he was Alabama’s most significant offensive addition. The offensive coordinator made some play calls down the stretch that made him look like a genius.

Specifically, the trick plays. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson said Grubb spends “a lot” of time drawing them up.

It paid off. On the two-point conversion attempt to try and tie the game up with 2:16 left, Grubb had running back Daniel Hill take the shotgun snap. Then Hill handed off to Simpson, who rolled right and passed to tight end Josh Cuevas in the end zone.

Then in the final minute of the game, Grubb called a direct snap to Germie Bernard on third down. The receiver ran for not only the first down but the touchdown to win the game with 36 seconds left.

“He’s the best play caller in America,” Simpson said. “I’ve got so much respect for him, Coach DeBoer, Coach (Nick) Sheridan, Mitch Dahlen, all those guys, Tyler Hughes, the offensive staff in general.”

That whole group, with Grubb leading the way, keeps showing off new trick plays every week it seems. The catalog keeps building.

“Our staff is crazy sometimes,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “They just every week are adding to it.”

DeBoer said many times, the Crimson Tide will work on trick plays in practice and not deploy them that week. But valuable practice reps allow Alabama to get ready.

“As you become more and more comfortable, the right opportunity pops up, it’s on the call sheet,” DeBoer said. “And you let it fly. I want our guys not flinching when those types of things come up. Let’s just go do what we do. You put it in the guys hands you trust, and you put pressure on the other team by doing that.”

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

DeBoer said many times, the Crimson Tide will work on trick plays in practice and not deploy them that week. But valuable practice reps allow Alabama to get ready.

“As you become more and more comfortable, the right opportunity pops up, it’s on the call sheet,” DeBoer said. “And you let it fly. I want our guys not flinching when those types of things come up. Let’s just go do what we do. You put it in the guys hands you trust, and you put pressure on the other team by doing that.”

I truly believe this is the Modus Operandi of CKD. It's not something as 'Bama fans we are used to with an offensive minded coach raising the standard of offensive performance. For so long it has been don't make a bad play. But now, I think it is go demoralize the other team with your play.

 

[mando]

I truly believe this is the Modus Operandi of CKD. It's not something as 'Bama fans we are used to with an offensive minded coach raising the standard of offensive performance. For so long it has been don't make a bad play. But now, I think it is go demoralize the other team with your play.

The 2018-2020ish offenses say hello.... I get your point but those offenses were potent and played more with a we are going to score every possession and even play. Those offenses had a killer mindset.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

The 2018-2020ish offenses say hello.... I get your point but those offenses were potent and played more with a we are going to score every possession and even play. Those offenses had a killer mindset.

Those offenses were quite impressive but how often did CNS go for it on 4th down or just kick a field goal? CKD simply does NOT think that way. He simply thinks his guys should be able to get a few yards (4th TD call case in point & also against MO, the same).

That moxy AFFECTS the team & their opponent. I cannot recall seeing that from CNS, offensively unless it was a come from behind final drive. But to see that going into half time. NEVER. CNS expected his defeneses to be that way & make the stops then the offense needs to end with a kick.

CKD says f#$@ that! You go get those yards & score that TD.

 

[mando]

Those offenses were quite impressive but how often did CNS go for it on 4th down or just kick a field goal? CKD simply does NOT think that way. He simply thinks his guys should be able to get a few yards (4th TD call case in point & also against MO, the same).

That moxy AFFECTS the team & their opponent. I cannot recall seeing that from CNS, offensively unless it was a come from behind final drive. But to see that going into half time. NEVER. CNS expected his defeneses to be that way & make the stops then the offense needs to end with a kick.

CKD says f#$@ that! You go get those yards & score that TD.

I appreciate that about CKD but I that other guy was pretty good to. CNS would take chances also (onside kick in the CNS and replacing Hurts with Tua) but it was always with the confidence for what he was seeing happen in practice. I am sure CKD is doing the same based on their prep work.

 

[TerryP]

This is ranking up there with the best play calls of the season. Part of its argument isn't what happened during this play or in this game; it's what happened before the game kicked off.

It's ironic, and equally as rich, considering what I've seen people say about Ryan.

The shift in the backfield grabs fans attention. It grabbed the commentators. Slipping the TE out like that isn't anywhere close to being a trick play. What makes this play happen, in my opinion, is Ryan. There are four guys from the backfield in this shot and Ryan takes three with him.

Do you even call this a trick play or is it just motion on steroids?

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Do you even call this a trick play or is it just motion on steroids?

I think a direct snap to anyone other than the QB (with the QB still on the field) falls into trick play territory. What I love is how Cuevas, after hesitating, really moves quick to the flat, beating the DB trying to reverse field.

 

[TerryP]

What I love is how Cuevas, after hesitating, really moves quick to the flat, beating the DB trying to reverse field.

It looked like he was keying on the outside linebacker for a block before sliding right. That 'backer was watching Ryan: eyes already out of the play.

One of the stat guys that covers the SEC specifically made a point after week four that he'd seen right at 70 percent of the SEC offenses use a variation of that play ... TE "faking engagement" sliding across or out. Clark ... I think his username is SECStatguy on X. He tends to have some good stuff tucked away in the minutiae.

 

[BamaFan334]

This is ranking up there with the best play calls of the season. Part of its argument isn't what happened during this play or in this game; it's what happened before the game kicked off.

It's ironic, and equally as rich, considering what I've seen people say about Ryan.

The shift in the backfield grabs fans attention. It grabbed the commentators. Slipping the TE out like that isn't anywhere close to being a trick play. What makes this play happen, in my opinion, is Ryan. There are four guys from the backfield in this shot and Ryan takes three with him.

Do you even call this a trick play or is it just motion on steroids?

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Watching it a few times, he had three guys open. Can't tell who that is at the top above Williams, but he gets open, Cuevas whom he threw it to, and then a throwback to Williams is open as no one is beating him to the corner.

 

[24and7]

Now, if he would only use more misdirection plays when we really need to.. every time he's a misdirection play it works..

 

[Secondand26]

Watching it a few times, he had three guys open. Can't tell who that is at the top above Williams, but he gets open, Cuevas whom he threw it to, and then a throwback to Williams is open as no one is beating him to the corner.

I thought (in real time) that Williams would have scored if they pitched the ball to him.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

I thought (in real time) that Williams would have scored if they pitched the ball to him.

Agree. He'd have just needed to beat the safety to the corner/pylon, and with his speed and quickness, I'd take that bet.

 

[BamaFan334]

 

[BamaFan334]

 

[TerryP]

Now do touchdowns.

Brazwell is tearing it up and he's probably 100 or more behind the nations leader. It's a pretty tightly knit group....maybe 300 between #1 and middle of the pack?

 

[Rolltide24]

Williams has missed 2 games but the Bucs have played 1 less game, so the gap is a little bigger than the post implies. Makes it sound like he’s 100 yards away after missing 2 games when there really has only been 1 game difference.

Through 6 games:
Williams 495 yards 3 TDs, 82 yards per game

Through 7 games:
Smith 602 yards 7 TDs, 86 yards per game

Smith is having a strong day today in his 8th game, already 112 yards and another TD in the 3rd.

Accounting for the level of the defense is tough to do. If Williams didn’t have so many drops, it wouldn’t be a tight comparison.

 

[rick4bama]

I think he will catch up?