Alabama football hires Ryan Grubb as offensive coordinator. What to know

Posted by author February 2, 2025 Football

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Kalen DeBoer has his right-hand man back in Tuscaloosa.

Ryan Grubb, DeBoer’s former offensive coordinator at Sioux Falls, Fresno State and Washington, is joining the Alabama football staff as offensive coordinator Yea Alabama, the Crimson Tide‘s Name, Image and Likeness collective announced Sunday.

While at the Senior Bowl Tuesday, DeBoer addressed rumors of him and Grubb teaming up on the Crimson Tide staff.

“We go way back,” DeBoer said at the Senior Bowl on Tuesday. “Great friend of mine. I think the world of him as a football coach and obviously as a person too. I know he is working through his process just after what last season brought. Just kind of see what he does there. Here for him whenever he needs me, and that’s always going to be the case.”

Grubb was initially hired to be Alabama’s offensive coordinator in 2024 and was seen recruiting for the Crimson Tide. He instead took the Seahawks offensive coordinator job.

Alabama instead hired Nick Sheridan as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

It is unclear what Sheridan’s status is on Alabama’s staff heading into 2025.

Kalen DeBoer history with Ryan Grubb

Grubb has been by DeBoer’s side for much if his coaching career.

In 2007, DeBoer hired Grubb at Sioux Falls as his run game coordinator and special teams coach, where Grubb remained until 2013 after DeBoer moved to Southern Illinois.

As Eastern Michigan’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2014-16, DeBoer worked with Grubb again, who spent three seasons as the Eagles’ offensive line coach. The pair spent two seasons on Jeff Tedford’s offensive coaching staff at Fresno State in 2017-18.

When DeBoer was hired as Fresno State head coach in 2020, he hired Grubb as assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Grubb had the same role in two seasons with DeBoer at Washington in 2022-23.

Ryan Grubb offense stats: What does he bring to Alabama football?

In nine seasons as a college football offensive coordinator, Grubb has led offenses that have eclipsed 400 yards of offense per game six times, including a Washington offense that averaged over 515 yards per game in 2022.

Each one of those offenses have averaged more than 30 points per game.

In his one season with the Seattle Seahawks, Grubb had the eighth-best passing game in the NFL averaging 236.5 passing yards per game with Geno Smith at the helm. However, the Seahawks had the fifth-worst run game in the league as one of five to average less than 100 rushing yards per game.

Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.