Alabama met Monday with Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb as a candidate for the Tide’s play-caller vacancy, according to multiple reports. 247 sports,
Grubb, 47, led the Huskies’ offense last season while serving as their quarterbacks coach. The Iowa native has coached at the FBS level since 2014 but has never been in the SEC and has no direct ties to Saban or his coaching tree.
Washington raised Grubb’s salary twice late in 2022, including a second increase in December, that would pay him $2 million annually through 2025. Seattle Times, This placed Grubb among the highest paid assistants in college football and significantly more than Bill O’Brien, who earned $1.1 million over the past two seasons for Alabama.
Houston Chronicle Texas A&M had been interested in Grubbs prior to the hiring of Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator in early January.
Washington had one of the best offenses in the country during Grubb’s first season in 2022. After finishing 2021 as one of the nation’s worst teams, it averaged 515.8 yards per game last season, second only to Tennessee. Its 39.7 points per game ranked seventh, behind teams including Alabama at 41.1 points per game.
Washington’s quarterback during the 2022 season was Indiana transfer Michael Pennix Jr., who led the nation in passing yards per game (357.0) while finishing eighth in Heisman Trophy voting.
As a team, the Huskies led the nation in passing yards per game (369.8) and third-down conversion rate (56.8 percent), while committing only 11 turnoversโtied for ninth-fewest among FBS teams. He also ranked 69th in rushing yards per game (146.0).
Grubb followed first-year Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer from Fresno State, where Grubb served in various roles from 2017โ21. He started out as the Bulldogs’ run-game coordinator and offensive line coach, then became their offensive coordinator and later quarterbacks coach.
Grubb also coached Eastern Michigan’s offensive line in 2014โ16 when DeBoer was EMU’s offensive coordinator, and previously worked with DeBoer at the University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota.
“He’s got a great offensive mind,” DeBoer told Grubb in September. Seattle Times, “Especially the last eight years, we built the offense together. He’s been very involved. Yes, he was the offensive line coach before he was the coordinator. But he knew he wanted to be a coordinator, so he always Was paying attention, asking questions and together we were developing our system.
Grubb coached Sioux Falls’ offensive line from 2007โ09 and became its offensive coordinator during its transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division II. He played for Buena Vista University, a Division III school in Iowa, and served as an assistant for South Dakota State in 2005โ06.
Alabama is looking for its sixth offensive coordinator in the last eight seasons after O’Brien, whose contract was expiring, was hired by the New England Patriots in the same role.
Mike Rodak is the Alabama beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. follow him on twitter @mikerodak,
