What Is G.B.O.T.? Inside Alabama's Term for Getting Back on Track After Slow Starts

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — G.B.O.T.

That acronym has quickly become one of the most important phrases in the Alabama football facility. It's short for "Get Back On Track," and on any given day, you'll hear it echoed by countless players and staff members.

"Friday walk-through, Thursday, we'll kind of get into our G.B.O.T. plays," tight end Marshall Pritchett said. "Second and 11, second and eight, I guess is what it would be considered, so we run through those, rep those."

Alabama has found itself in many second-and-long situations this season. From pre-snap penalties to free rushers that have created sacks, this offense regularly falls behind and needs to get back on track a lot more than it would like to.

"Obviously, you don't want to be in G.B.O.T. ever, but in a football game, a lot of things can happen," Pritchett said. "The other team's got good players too. So it's up to us to just go out there and execute on first down and stay out of that. But if it gets called, you know, we've got to get back on track as part of the game."

Slow starts have been a theme for the Crimson Tide in each of its last two games, and the team has ended up in G.B.O.T. on the opening drive of both contests. Against Kentucky, it led to a second-down backwards run and a third-down pick-six. Against the Seminoles, a pre-snap penalty from Jayvin James set up second-and-11, where Keelon Russell was able to find Rico Scott for an eight-yard completion to successfully get back on track.

"It starts with the first play of the game," Pritchett said. "You know, last week, we had a little four-yard run, second and six, that's pretty ideal to start the game, and then boom, offsides."

As operational issues are cleaned up, the expectation is that G.B.O.T. will become a less common situation for the team, especially as it tries to start games faster to avoid early deficits.

"Getting a first down on first down goes a long way, especially on the first drive of the game," Pritchett said. "You're still dealing with nerves and everything. You know, I think we obviously trust his (offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb's) opening script, play calls. We've just got to go out there and execute better, stay in front of the sticks, and I truly believe that will be something we are going to do a good job with when it comes to it."

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