When Alabama’s offense takes the field inside Bryant-Denny Saturday night against Tennessee, it’ll do so with one of the best passing attacks in college football.
The Tide is ranked inside the Top-15 nationally with more than 300 passing yards a game.
“There were question marks for both at quarterbacks, but Ty [Simpson] has gotten better and better and better, and he’s playing at as high a level as anybody in the country right now,” said Chris Stewart, the Voice of the Crimson Tide.
That steady quarterback play has been the catalyst.
Alabama isn’t just stretching the field, it’s controlling tempo, converting in key situations, and dictating how games unfold.
Confidence and Efficiency at Quarterback
In an offense that once leaned on explosive plays, Alabama is now thriving on execution and precision.
Simpson has guided drives that chew clock and frustrate defenses.
A shift that Stewart says defines the Tide’s identity.
“The confidence level they’re playing with… that’s where Alabama’s got to take advantage,” Stewart said.
Simpson’s poise has turned question marks into consistency.
A Balanced, Creative Playbook
Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s system has leaned on creativity, using short passes as extensions of the run game to stretch defenses horizontally before attacking vertically.
“They do a great job utilizing even the pass game almost as run plays,” Stewart said. “While it may not be the traditional turn-the-ball-to-the-running-back ground game, it still produces the same effect.”
That approach has opened space for playmakers and allowed Alabama to control possessions.
The Tide have routinely strung together 10, 12, and 13-play drives. The kind that wear down defenses and keep opposing offenses cold on the sideline.
“You can go to the Missouri game or Vanderbilt; it’s 11, 12, 13-play drives,” Stewart said. “Those are the type of things where you’re just putting pressure on the opposing defense.”
Sustaining Drives and Trusting Execution
Stewart points to the Tide’s ability to stay on schedule as a quiet but defining strength.
“Hopefully they can execute on first and second down, which they’ve done a good job of,” he said. “It’s been a lot of third-and-short that they’ve had, or third manageable.”
The Tide converts better than 50% of its third down attempts.
Which highlights when Alabama does face long-yardage situations, composure has replaced panic.
Stewart recalled one key sequence from last week’s win over Missouri that captured this team’s trust and resilience.
It came midway into the fourth quarter, Alabama had a 3-point lead over the Tigers.
Earlier in the Tide’s drive, they created two game-changing plays.
“Everybody talks about the pass and the catch from Ty [Simpson] and Lorzeir Brooks on fourth-and-eight,” Stewart said. “But what really set that up was a third-and-23 checkdown to Kevin Riley… they got 15 yards and put the pressure on Coach DeBoer, and he believed in them. That confidence was well founded.”
The Tide finished the drive with a touchdown which gave Alabama a 10-point lead with 3:16 left to play.
Those moments, Stewart said, show how Alabama’s offense thrives not just on play design, but on belief; in both the scheme and the execution.
Depth and Versatility Across the Board
The Tide’s offensive success also stems from their personnel depth. Running back Jam Miller’s presence has been critical, both in production and protection.
“Alabama has been a different offense with him available,” Stewart said. “Not just as a runner, but as a blocker in pass protection too.”
While balance remains the goal, Alabama hasn’t shied from using its size and athleticism in creative ways.
Such as the use of offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor’s development as an offensive weapon.
The 6’7”, 366 pound lineman has 15 rushing yards on the season. An enormous feat for a lineman and someone of his stature.
Those yards have come in clutch moments for Alabama.
His longest play came against Georgia on a catch-and-run on a screen play for an 11-yard gain and a Crimson Tide first down.
His latest, against Missouri, where he added one rush out of the Wildcat for two yards and a Tide first down.
“It went from being that one play to now something they use regularly,” Stewart said. “He’s incredibly athletic, but obviously more than a load to try and bring down.”
The creativity, depth, and rhythm of this offense make it unpredictable and increasingly difficult to defend.
Protecting the Football, Controlling the Game
Above all else, Alabama’s offensive strength lies in discipline. The Tide have limited mistakes and turnovers, staying within their identity and letting efficiency do the work.
“They’ve had one fumble, one interception all season,” Stewart said. “They’ve got to stay within character in terms of protecting the football and being efficient offensively.”
That will be put to the test as the Volunteers are second in the country with 11 forced fumbles on the season.
Stewart said his key to the game for Alabama might come down to the Tide’s pass defense.
“I think they’ve got to also be very sure in their pass coverage and not let Tennessee just gash them in the pass game, as they did last year, and as they’ve done many times this year to the opposition. It’s you got to be efficient offensively, but you got to cut down some of the explosiveness that Tennessee has had throughout the year,” said Chris Stewart.
Alabama’s path to victory looks like it’ll have to come from efficiency, creativity, and confidence. The same traits that have quietly turned the Tide’s offense into one of the most complete units in college football.
The Tide and Vols kick off Saturday night at 7:30 on Oct. 18 for the Third Saturday in October.
