Alabama · SECGrubb apologizes for criticizing Alabama fans
Grubb walked back his Monday remarks after the Crimson Tide rallied from a 21–6 deficit to beat Florida State 50–36.
SEP 23, 2026
Grubb later apologized after criticizing Crimson Tide fans during a 50–36 comeback win over Florida State on Sept. 19, saying some appeared to quit when Alabama trailed 21–6.
Grubb made the remark while praising an offense that scored 20 straight points to close the first half. “We had, I would say, had some boobirds. I told the guys, shoot, if you'd have quit as fast as some of your fans, s***, we wouldn't have won that game,” Grubb said.
He later walked back the comment. “That said — I should have worded my statement today more carefully,” Grubb said. “This is a special place with an incredible fanbase that all of us are thankful for.” The apology gives the 3–0 Crimson Tide a chance to move past the fan dispute before South Carolina visits on Saturday, Sept. 26.
The controversy followed Alabama’s second straight slow start. The offense has scored at least 45 points in each of its last two games, while quarterback Keelon Russell threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns against Florida State. Alabama ran for 247 yards in the victory.
01 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
The sharper football story beneath the apology is Alabama’s rushing shift. Alabama averaged only 104 rushing yards per game in 2025, but its 2026 average is already more than double that figure. Against Florida State, the Tide produced 247 yards on 36 carries, with Keelon Russell adding a 57-yard touchdown run. That changes how to read the consecutive sluggish starts: the offense has shown a repeatable way out rather than depending solely on Russell’s 320 passing yards.
The calendar puts that improvement under a sustained test. South Carolina on Sept. 26, the Oct. 3 trip to Mississippi State, Georgia on Oct. 10, the Oct. 17 trip to Tennessee and Texas A&M on Oct. 24 form five consecutive Saturdays. The fan dispute can disappear quickly; the larger concern is whether Alabama keeps overcoming poor openings once that run begins.
02 · The Open QuestionsQuestions to Be Answered
Will Alabama or Kalen DeBoer take any action against Grubb?
Neither Alabama nor DeBoer has announced a separate response or discipline. Any team or university action could carry the controversy into the Sept. 26 game against South Carolina, when Alabama begins five consecutive Saturdays of play. A university statement, DeBoer’s comments or Grubb’s status for the 7 p.m. ET kickoff would show whether the apology closed the matter inside the program.