Casagrande: Alabama’s weird but it’s working
Alabama’s offense is weird.
Sorta like the awkward kid in school, perhaps an aspiring magician who nobody can figure out until he punches you in the nose and walks away.
Unorthodox. Tricky. And ultimately leaves you seeing stars.
It’s a composite of some of the program’s recent greats -- except the complete opposite.
So, when they said the 2025 Crimson Tide offensive experiment with Ryan Grubb would be a shift in thinking, we should have listened.
Just look at its working identity.
This is a ball-control team rooted in the passing game, which is safe but not explosive. It grinds opponents down like the early Nick Saban championship teams, except with the pass and not the run.
They beat teams through the air, but not like the Tua Tagovailoa/Mac Jones/Bryce Young teams.
It’s more efficient than explosive, yet remains creative and clever.
Alabama long wanted the Ryan Grubb experience and the first two months of football have delivered a norm-busting trip.
It evokes memories of Steve Sarkisian’s handling of the 2020 Alabama offense, for reasons that we’ll explore later.
First, imagine sitting down with a time traveler from 2009 to explain Alabama’s No. 4 in the nation with a 7-1 record ... and the No. 112 rushing offense. What in the Mark Ingram is that?
Through eight games, Alabama’s averaging 3.6 yards a carry. That’s the fewest since the 2006 season, which led to Mike Shula’s firing.
And yet, this offense has possession time numbers similar to those of 2009 and 2015, when Heisman-winning running backs (Mark Ingram and Derrick Henry, respectively)led the Crimson Tide to national championships.
That’s true for a few reasons, combining personnel and coaching to create an offense that looks nothing like last year’s … or any that’s come before in Tuscaloosa.
Credit must go to Grubb, the offensive coordinator sidekick of Kalen DeBoer’s, who reunited with his old boss this season. He’s cooked up creative schemes that mask some of the deficiencies within the Alabama running back group and offensive line.
They have good backs, just not the caliber of previous seasons or peers at the top of the rankings. That’s why you’ve seen formation variants, jet sweeps, and even the inclusion of a lineman.
It’s true, 6-foot-7, 350-plus pound left tackle Kadyn Proctor’s average rushing attempt (3.8) betters the team average (3.6) with first downs on three of his four carries.
The fact that he isn’t afraid to do something so unconventional in important moments speaks to both his intestinal fortitude and the reality of the situation.
Grubb also sprinkled in enough short passes that essentially serve as runs -- looks that get playmakers into space in sometimes untraditional ways.
Just look at the win at South Carolina and the moments that mattered most.
Down 22-14 in the closing minutes, running back Jam Miller was thrown for a 2-yard loss on first-and-goal, so on the next play, receiver Germie Bernard lined up in the backfield. He moved from Ty Simpson’s left to his right just before the snap and sprinted back to the left. Nobody was within 7 yards of the senior when he caught the short pass and walked into the end zone for the touchdown.
Then, on the two-point conversion needed to tie the game, running back Daniel Hill took a direct snap and handed off to Simpson. The quarterback faked the end around to Ryan Williams and tossed it to tight end Josh Cuavas to tie the game at 22-22.
And to finish it off moments later, Bernard took a direct snap on third-and-10 and ran 25 yards for the game-winning touchdown. A fake pitch back to Simpson froze the defense just long enough to clear a path. That single play gained just one fewer yard than leading rusher Miller netted on 10 carries.
It was that stretch of play calls that reminded me of Sarkisian -- specifically his final game at Alabama.
He had quite the toolbox in 2020, but everyone knew Heisman Trophy-winning receiver DeVonta Smith was the focal point of the scheme.
With 12 games of film, Ohio State knew who’d be getting the ball in the CFP title game, so Sarkisian schemed up creative motions and formations to get his star receiver open. He caught 12 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns, almost exclusively in the first half, as Alabama trampled the Buckeyes in a 52-24 win.
For Grubb, defenses are getting the hint that the traditional ground game isn’t working, so he’s crafting his play sheet to overcome that.
A seven-game winning streak, which included victories over playoff-caliber defenses, is his proof of concept.
There’s still considerable work left. Among the four games remaining, Alabama faces two of the top four SEC defenses in Oklahoma and Auburn. Saturday’s visitor, LSU, has allowed some big numbers recently while still ranking among the nation’s best with 10 interceptions.
Those three will face a Crimson Tide offense that operates with ruthless efficiency.
It has top-20 rankings in points per drive, possession efficiency and drive success rate on analytics site bcftoys.com. They were merely average in those categories last year.
This group doesn’t turn the ball over and extends drives in key moments. It’s giving up just 0.6 possessions a game and converting 50% of its third downs (16th nationally) and 13 of 20 fourth downs (65%).
And the peak of the efficiency comes in the red zone. Alabama scored on 33 of 34 trips for a 97.1 success rate that is No. 4 in the nation.
No opportunities wasted.
All that’s been accomplished without many home run plays. In fact, Alabama has just 11 plays that covered more than 30 yards. That’s 106th-most in the nation.
Other than reserve AK Dear’s 56-yard run late in the blowout of UL-Monroe, none of the running backs’ 174 carries went for more than 22 yards.
That’s unfathomable for previous Alabama teams or any national contender.
But Simpson’s ability to hit the intermediate passes and a balanced/diverse set of targets makes up for those shortcomings. Four players have at least 20 catches, and 10 have touchdown receptions.
Simpson’s accuracy wears down the opposition with a 67.8 completion percentage and 20 touchdowns to just one interception. There are 13 QBs nationally with a single interception, though among that group, Simpson’s 261 attempts lead with a margin of 51.
Just hit you with a lot of numbers but it speaks to the unique path Alabama’s taken to national title contention.
This offense wins with a scalpel instead of a bazooka.
It’s a thriving marriage of an elite playcaller and an unconventional set of skill players who made this Crimson Tide season unlike the others.
Alabama’s weird.
But it’s working.
Eagles Sign Former Patriots DE Days After Za’Darius Smith’s Retirement
Just days after veteran pass rusher Za’Darius Smith stunned the team by announcing his retirement, the Philadelphia Eagles signed defensive end Titus Leo to the practice squad.
They also added tight end Jaheim Bell.
Both are young and athletic, and each brings a unique skill set that could help the Eagles down the road. Let’s take a closer look at both players, as well as where Philadelphia’s DEs and TEs rooms sit heading into Week 7.
A Closer Look at New Philadelphia Eagles TE Signing Jaheim Bell
GettyThe Philadelphia Eagles have signed TE Jaheim Bell and DE Titus Leo to the practice squad.
Bell, 24, arrives in Philly after spending his rookie season with the New England Patriots last year. He appeared in 15 games, playing mostly on special teams, while also catching two passes for 20 yards. He played 83 offensive snaps and 176 on special teams before being waived in August.
A seventh-round pick (No. 231 overall) in the 2024 draft out of Florida State, Bell earned a reputation as a Swiss Army knife in college. He lined up all over the field — as a traditional tight end, in the slot and even in the backfield — and that versatility is part of what makes him appealing to Philadelphia as they navigate Grant Calcaterra’s lingering oblique injury.
In 2021 at South Carolina, he recorded 30 receptions for 497 yards and five touchdowns. After transferring to Florida State, he continued to impress with 39 receptions for 503 yards and two touchdowns in 2023.
He also handled the occasional carry and screen work, showcasing yards-after-catch ability that could eventually translate to the NFL level. For now, he projects as a special teams contributor and potential 12- or 13-personnel chess piece if the Eagles need to elevate someone in a pinch.
A Closer Look at New Philadelphia Eagles DE Signing Titus Leo
Leo, 26, had been a bit of a journeyman over the past few seasons.A sixth-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 2023 out of Wagner, Leo spent his rookie season on injured reserve before bouncing between the Colts, Patriots, Titans and Browns.
He appeared in four games for New England in 2024, logging four tackles and a pass breakup, and now lands in Philadelphia with an opportunity to stick as a developmental edge presence.
At Wagner, Leo was a force, amassing 234 tackles (40 for loss), 13 sacks and six forced fumbles while winning back-to-back NEC Defensive Player of the Year honors and earning FCS All-America recognition.
Leo joins an Eagles edge room that suddenly looks a bit thinner after Smith’s retirement. With the veteran gone, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has said the team will rely on a committee approach to fill the void. The current group includes Josh Uche, Azeez Ojulari, Jalyx Hunt and Patrick Johnson — with Leo now providing insurance on the practice squad and potential special teams help if injuries strike.
“You always respect the guy’s decisions, personal decisions, and the guy had a great career, did fine when he was here with us. He was good to be around and wish him the best,” Fangio said about Smith’s sudden retirement.
“We’ll have to absorb those snaps up with the rest of the guys and we’ll make it work.”
At tight end, Dallas Goedert remains the top target, with Calcaterra, Kylen Granson and Cameron Latu rounding out the depth chart. Bell’s arrival adds flexibility and depth to that group, particularly if Calcaterra’s status remains uncertain heading into Week 7.
