The Alabama's 50-36 win over the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday ended up how Crimson Tide fans hoped it would, but it certainly didn't start that way. The Seminoles had a 21-6 lead in the second quarter, and a lackluster Alabama offense drew some audible boos from the home crowd at Bryant-Denny Stadium. As indicated by the final score, that offense ended up getting going, ultimately living up to the pregame expectations of an offensive explosion.
Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb was full of praise for his offense's resilience, though he did so by taking a swipe at those critical fans. "They just didn't have any quit," Grubb told reporters. "They're a really resilient group.
We had, I would say -- I had some boobirds. I told the guys, I said, 'Shoot, guys, if you would have quit as fast as some of your fans, [expletive], we wouldn't have won that game.'" Naturally, that rankled some of the Crimson Tide faithful, and Grubb issued an apology to fans through the school's NIL collective, Yea Alabama. "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," he said.
"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." Grubb praised Tuscaloosa as a "special place with an incredible fanbase that all of us are thankful for," adding that he has "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," he said.
"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!!!" While many fans took Grubb's statement as an olive branch, some believe he missed the mark — likely because he didn't realize who, specifically, was being booed. They say winning cures all ills, so if Alabama dominates South Carolina on Saturday, perhaps this will be water under the bridge. If Alabama struggles on offense, though, those boo birds might reappear.
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