Alabama announced the hiring of Ryan Grubb as its offensive coordinator … again. After the university’s NIL collective released the news earlier this week, Alabama officially named Grubb as the newest member of its staff through a release Thursday morning.
"Ryan Grubb has been someone that I have trusted for a long time and adding him to our staff only improves the quality of coaches we have here at Alabama," head coach Kalen DeBoer said through the release. "He is one of the best offensive minds in the country, and I can't wait to see what he brings to our organization moving forward."
Grubb, a longtime assistant of Kalen DeBoer, was set to follow the head coach to Alabama last year before taking the offensive coordinator job with the Seattle Seahawks last offseason. He was fired after one season in Seattle, with Seahawks head coach Mike McDonald citing philosophical differences as the reason the organization decided to part ways.
Grubb served as DeBoer’s offensive coordinator at Fresno State (2020-21) and Washington (2022-23). Grubb also worked under DeBoer at Sioux Falls, serving as a run-game coordinator as well as an offensive line coach. The two also worked together at Eastern Michigan from 2014-2016 when DeBoer served as the offensive coordinator and Grubb coached the offensive line.
"I'm thankful to get an opportunity to work with Coach DeBoer once again and to be a part of an offensive staff that I am very familiar with," said Grubb said through the release. "I am confident that our staff will be able to put the team in the best position to win each time out. I know and trust that this group of coaches and players will work tirelessly to meet the standard that has been set here at Alabama, and I can't wait to get out on the field with them."
During Grubb's lone year with the Seahawks, Seattle ranked fifth in the NFL for passing yards with 4,379. Quarterback Geno Smith set career-high marks for yards, completions (407) and completion percentage (70.4) while totaling 21 passing scores, good for the second-most of his career. Smith's favorite target, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, led Seattle and tied for ninth in the NFL with 100 receptions for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns. The 100 receptions matched Seattle's single-season high mark.
In 2023, Grubb helped Washington win a Pac-12 title and advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. During that season, Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. earn the Maxwell Award with a record-setting season that saw him throw for 4,903 yards and 36 touchdowns while maintaining a 157.1 passer rating. Penix Jr.'s favorite target, Rome Odunze, caught a team-high 92 passes for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns. Both players earned first-team All-America honors and went on to be first-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The 2022 campaign saw the Huskies lead the nation in both passing offense (369.8 yards per game) and third down conversions (57 percent) while also finishing second in total offense (515.8 ypg). Grubb's offensive group also had top-25 finishes in sacks allowed (2nd), first downs (5th), scoring offense (7th) and rushing offense (25th). Individually, Penix Jr. broke the then-Washington single-season record for passing yards with 4,641.
