The Alabama Crimson Tide has made a massive addition to their coaching staff by hiring Kalen DeBoer’s former offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb, back to Tuscaloosa to serve in the same role.

Grubb was initially expected to make the transition to Alabama upon DeBoer’s hiring and was actually on the staff for about a week, but he was hired along with offensive line coach Scott Huff to the Seattle Seahawks coaching staff. After things didn’t work out how Seattle had hoped, the franchise moved in a different direction with Grubb, freeing him to return to Alabama.

Nick Sheridan, who was initially hired as the tight ends coach but upgraded to offensive coordinator after Grubb left, is expected to remain on staff as well and will likely go back to coaching the tight end group.

Sheridan was criticized throughout the season for an inability to get the most out of quarterback Jalen Milroe, but Grubb’s ‘pass happy’ system likely would not have been any more beneficial to Milroe’s game. Grubb’s impact on DeBoer’s system cannot be understated.

Sources: Alabama is set to hire Ryan Grubb as offensive coordinator. Grubb is rejoining Kalen DeBoer with the Tide.

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) February 2, 2025

Since taking the offensive coordinator job at Sioux Falls in 2007, Grubb had been with DeBoer every step of the way, including Eastern Michigan, Fresno State, and Washington.Both DeBoer and Grubb will now oversee a quarterback battle featuring Ty Simpson as the favorite trying to fend off Austin Mack, who was also brought over from Washington, and freshman phenom Keelon Russell who will attempt to pull of the rare feat of true freshman starting quarterback in the SEC.

Russell is unquestionably the future of the program, but even Bryce Young — whose status as a recruit was similar to that of Russel’s — sat his freshman season in 2020 as Mac Jones led the Tide to an undefeated national title.

Seeing how DeBoer, and now Grubb, handle their first real legitimate quarterback battle will be fascinating to see. Regardless, Grubb being brought in is universally viewed as a net positive to the program.

Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.