Alabama football in Week 3 once again found itself in an early hole, this time against Florida State, as the Crimson Tide stumbled out of the gate and found itself facing a 21-6 near the end of the second quarter.
The sluggish start from Keelon Russell and Co. drew what offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb called "boo birds" from the Bryant-Denny Stadium crowd, as fans voiced their displeasure at the offense's ineffectiveness in the first half.
Grubb, speaking to media on Monday, Sept. 21, acknowledged the boos from the crowd — and talked about how he used it as motivation for his unit.
"I told the guys, I said, 'Shoot, guys, if you had quit as fast as some
of your fans, (expletive), we wouldn't win that game,'" Grubb said.
The slow start against Florida State was hardly an outlier. As noted by Colin Gay of the Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network, Alabama averaged 4.9 yards per play in the first quarter on Saturday. Through its first three games, the Crimson Tide has been outscored 21-20 in the opening period.
"I know there's a lot of talk out there about slow starts and things like that," Grubb said. "Obviously we're taking some really calculated measures in practice to help continue to address that."
Alabama OC Ryan Grubb with a fiery opening statement:
— Colin Gay (@_ColinGay) September 21, 2026
On “boo birds:”
“If you would have quit as fast as some of your fans, shit, we wouldn’t have won that game.” pic.twitter.com/fCs1Xj3ndD
Alabama's offense finally found its rhythm late in the second quarter. Russell's 21-yard touchdown pass to Cederian Morgan with 2:36 remaining sparked a stretch in which the Crimson Tide scored three consecutive touchdowns in the final three minutes of the half. Alabama's late surge was aided by an interception from Ivan Taylor, helping fuel the offensive outburst before the break.
Grubb later apologized for his words in a statement posted by Yea Alabama, the school's name, image and likeness arm.
"My passion for The University of Alabama football team runs deep…my commitment to this program is rivaled only by my brothers who I lock arms with every day," Grubb wrote. "I will always back my players…always. I normally speak very directly and don't cut words. That said -- I should have worded my statement today more carefully. 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. I look forward to moving on and giving everyone something to cheer about! It's a blessing to be here at Alabama. I truly appreciate everyone and am looking forward to a great Saturday. Again, my sincere apologies…and ROLL TIDE!!!"
The Crimson Tide outscored the Seminoles 24-15 in the second half. Alabama piled up 567 total yards in its eventual 50-36 victory, with Russell leading the way through the air. The quarterback completed 23-of-30 passes for 360 yards and three touchdowns in another productive performance for the Crimson Tide offense.
"I was proud of the guys," Grubb said. "They just didn't have any quit. They're a really resilient group. I'm super proud of that."
Be sure to check out USA TODAY Sports' new College Football Unfiltered podcast, hosted by USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer. You can stream on YouTube or download via Apple podcasts and Spotify.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alabama OC Ryan Grubb addresses 'boo birds' after slow start vs FSU
