
The wait is over and college football is here. The lead up to week 1 starts this week, and in only a few short days, half of the fanbases in the country can no longer dream that this is the year their team will go undefeated. We at Roll Bama Roll may all be fans of the Crimson Tide, but, as usual, we have some widely varying opinions about the Tide and about college football as a whole. To kick off the season, here’s a series of comments from the RBR editorial staff on a whole host of college football topics.
Enjoy!
The last two seasons, Alabama attempted the least number of passes per game since the Jalen Hurts years. With Ty Simpson now at the helm and Ryan Grubb heading the offense, what are your predictions for the Tide’s passing and rushing splits per game?
Josh Chatham:
I think it will be somewhat balanced, but based on DeBoer and Grubb’s history, you’d expect to pass a bit more than run. Let’s call it a 45/55 run/pass split
CB969:
Last year’s unusual offensive strategy was one born out of necessity. The Tide tried to take advantage of Jalen Milroe’s running skills to mixed results. Additionally, Bama had only two reliable receivers. The addition of Isaiah Horton and Lotzeir Brooks plus the emergence of Rico Scott et al should lead the way to an offense much more reliant on the passing game. Rumors have it that Simpson is pretty fair runner. However, it doesn’t seem like he will be asked to do that too often. Short answer: 60% pass, 40% run.
Brent Taylor:
A year ago, I watched Ryan Grubb talk all offseason about physicality and running the ball, then do the exact opposite over the course of the 2024 season. He called about 65% pass plays in Seattle last year once you count 50+ scrambles from Geno Smith as pass play calls. The year before with the Washington Huskies, he was closer to 60%, and that was with the Huskies having a strong season and generally playing with a lead. 2022 was almost identical.
So I think a 60% pass rate is going to be the floor. Ty Simpson’s tendency to scramble might push down the raw numbers, but actual called passes – lets go 61%.
Erik Evans:
I expect we’ll see a pass-heavy offense that runs a lot of plays. Grubb/KDB stints at other FBS programs seem a good benchmark here: 57-43 run/pass mix, with heavily platooned running backs and multiple WR sets. There will be touches to go around. Let’s say Alabama easily exceeds 1000 plays this year.
Who will lead the Tide in sacks?
Josh Chatham:
LT Overton and Qua Russaw play off of each other and end up with ten apiece.
CB969:
Deontae Lawson, possibly LT Overton.
Brent Taylor:
Last year, it was Jihaad Campbell that led the way with 5 sacks, though LT Overton blew everyone else out of the water with 32 QB hurries. If he can convert just some of those pressures into sacks, he’ll wind up a top-ten draft pick. Keep an eye on Deontae Lawson, though. With Campbell gone, it seems likely that Lawson may play more of that hybrid role while Justin Jefferson and Nikai Hill-Green alternate at Mike linebacker. Don’t forget, Lawson was an edge rusher in high school.
Erik Evans:
LT Overton finally puts it together in his final year. He was so close to having a breakout last season, and had he driven home the sacks he deserved for his disruption and pass rush, he would have led the team in 2024. We’ll say he gets there in 2025.
What was your biggest question mark coming into Fall Camp, now that we’re on the other side, do these questions remain?
Josh Chatham:
The offensive line will continue to be a big variable until we see it, but it’s impossible to answer this question with anything but the quarterback position. I was a big believer in Ty coming out of high school and am cautiously optimistic based on what we have heard in camp. But, until you see a guy try and lead the offense on Saturdays, you will never know what you have. You can win big without an elite QB, but it’s awfully tough to overcome subpar play at the position. We need Ty to be a “good” starting QB if this team is headed anywhere.
CB969:
From the SkyCam, it would be position groups such as defensive line, running back, tight end, or special teams. At ground level, it is the mentality. The meltdowns and quit modes we saw last season were not on par with the Bama Standard. I want to see the dogs, guys playing with their hair on fire, and an entire team that wants to “make their ass quit” as a great man once said. Is this 2025 team that kind of group? On a positive note, there haven’t been any ice cream truck visits. I feel like attitudes are good, but I want to see pisst off mf’s – hungry angry dudes. I haven’t seen that yet.
Brent Taylor:
There’s a lot that won’t be answered until the season – namely the performance of the QB and OL. One thing I did want to hear was someone really stepping into the #2 RB role. Instead, we lost the #1 RB to injury and there still doesn’t seem to be anyone that’s taking the job for themselves.
Erik Evans:
Erik, the broken record: My biggest concern was an interior defensive line that was exposed repeatedly last year, especially against the inside zone. Running QBs had a field day (save LaNorris Sellers), and when teams needed to run, they could do so: Tennessee effectively finished off the Tide with their ability to control the line of scrimmage. Nothing was done to address this in the offseason personnel-wise either. So barring a miraculous rebound and much better play, I think it’s still going to rear its ugly head this year. I will repeat this message until I see an improvement on the field that translates in any demonstrable manner.
Objectively, what do you think is Alabama’s ceiling this year? And what is the worst-case scenario? What is the most realistic outcome?
Josh Chatham:
The ceiling for this team is a national title, worst case another four-loss season. The most realistic scenario is about where they are ranked, which means two to three losses and one playoff win.
CB969:
The FBS looks wide open this year. Without being too much of a Gump, the ceiling is winning the Big Beer Tap trophy. Worst-case is they struggle on the road and stumble at home and finish around 8-4. Realistically 10-2, Semifinals appearance.
Brent Taylor:
It’s Alabama, and the Tide still has the strongest collection of recruiting classes in the country the last 4 seasons. The ceiling is still a Natty. Worst case, I think, is similar to last year. 3 regular season losses and a listless bowl win.
Realistically, everything depends on Ty Simpson. If he’s ready to be a legitimate SEC QB – then I think Alabama shoots through the regular season with1 loss, maybe 2, and a couple of wins in the playoffs.
Erik Evans:
In a year where there are so many national question marks, and almost all of the SEC has at least one huge weakness, the ceiling is the national title — though ‘Bama will likely not arrive there unscathed. This team can easily win the natty if the right things improve. Worst case scenario? Ty gets the yips and plays unevenly, the defensive line never gets it together, the kicking game is a disaster, a pass rush never emerges, the staff is outcoached again in big games, and this all converges into a Voltron of Suck vs. a very difficult schedule: 8-4. But I think 16-0 would be more likely than 8-4.
What will it take for you to consider this a successful season?
Josh Chatham:
The scenario above is a fair expectation: one playoff win.
CB969:
Double-digit regular season wins, top 4 finish, lose nobody valuable in the Transfer Portal, retain Ryan Grubb and Kane Wommack.
Brent Taylor:
The same as always: Beat Tennessee, beat Auburn, make the SEC title game, and win a game in the playoffs. Ideally, we want more than that, but do those things, and it’s an improvement over the last three seasons.
Erik Evans:
To my mind, the same objectives remain as last year: No bad losses, be competitive for the SEC title deep into November, and be in the national playoff picture until the final selection. But I add two others: I need to see much better road play this year, and I need to see much more consistency from a team that has bought-in. Alabama obviously had neither last year. Alabama does not have to make the playoffs this year; as hard as the schedule is, going 9-3 could be forgivable. But it better at least have 10+ wins by the time the bowl season and playoffs conclude. And no matter what happens this year, the honeymoon is over — next year better have Alabama results. This year we’ll settle for it looking like an Alabama team.
Who are the top contenders for the national title this season? And give me one team (whether you include them in the first group or not) who far outplays what everyone expects.
Josh Chatham:
I’d put Alabama in this group along with Texas, Georgia, Ohio State, and Oregon. I think Penn State is overvalued. Not sure I see a “come from nowhere” sleeper team this season, but Ole Miss ranked 21 seems pretty low. Kiffin has shown the ability to squeeze every drop of performance out of his QBs, and Austin Simmons has potential under him.
CB969:
Alphabetically: Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Texas – and it ends there. In this new world of 12 team playoff, a team just needs to stay healthy and get hot at the right time – like Ohio State did last year.Recall that the Buckeyes were fourth in the B1G last year and the 8-seed. Under past systems, they would have played in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
K-State could be low-key good this season. Boise should go 11-1.
Brent Taylor:
I think Texas, Georgia, Alabama, and LSU from the SEC and Ohio State, Penn State, and Oregon from the Big Ten, plus Notre Dame actually plays a somewhat legitimate schedule this year, and if they can survive it, they could be a big player. Begrudgingly, Clemson is probably the big man in the ACC, and Klubnik might actually be good.
As far as a sleeper team, I wouldn’t forget Oklahoma. They had a very strong defense a year ago and were bad because their QB was a disaster and their entire WR/RB room got injured. With John Mateer coming in from Washington state, they could show some major improvement.
Erik Evans:
Notre Dame, Penn State, Texas, Alabama, the winner of the AAC (Memphis or Tulane, assuming they handle their OOC business), an absolutely loaded Arizona State team, Ohio State (though I bet they have two losses getting there), Georgia (if they can get their passing game right and improve the OL play), Clemson (easily the best of a very average ACC), Iowa State are about all I’m sold on right now. Realistic natty contenders? Alabama, Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, perhaps Clemson.
As for who turns heads? I’m going with the Sooners. They have the SEC’s best RB group, one of its best defensive lines, a great defensive scheme, and finally a competent OC and QB. The schedule is a beast, but they could go 9-3 and be a genuine dark horse. If they steal a game here or there to go 10-2, they’re making the playoffs. Another 7-5 sort of year gets Venables deservedly fired. This is the season to make noise.
My duds this year are Texas Tech (McGuire is simply too cavalier with possessions) and LSU (because that team has no line on either side of the ball).
Call your shot early, who do you think will go #1 overall in the next NFL Draft?
Josh Chatham:
Cade Klubnik. He will put up big numbers against a bunch of tomato cans, and Arch will return to Texas for 2026.
CB969:
With the first pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select Arch Manning, quarterback, Texas.
Brent Taylor:
Clemson has probably the two best shots in QB Cade Klubnik and DE T.J. Parker. A dark horse pick, though would be Utah OT, Spencer Fano. He was a Freshman All-American at LT a couple seasons ago, then was exceptional as a RT last year. The NFL is going bananas trying to find good offensive line play right now, and if he keeps building the resume, he could be in competition
Erik Evans:
Teams have talked themselves into Arch Manning for three years; no one is backing down now, even if he’s the second coming of Will Levis.
Does Julian Sayin finish the 2025 season as Ohio State’s starter?
Josh Chatham:
I don’t care. If they ain’t wearing Crimson…
CB969:
Considering the alternatives anOSU has at QB, Ima say a firm “yes”.
Brent Taylor:
Who?
Erik Evans:
Yes, Sayin finishes the season as the OSU starter. New coordinators, a hellacious WR1, nice RB group: everything is in place for one guy to be the starter all season.