Kalen DeBoer addresses losing Ryan Grubb to NFL, how he'll approach offense at Alabama

Earlier this month, Ryan Grubb stunned the nation when he accepted an offer to become the Seattle Seahawks’ next offensive coordinator. The former Washington OC was expected to follow head coach Kalen DeBoer to Alabama.

The pair had been inseparable since 2007 when Grubb began coaching under DeBoer at Sioux Falls. In 2009, Grubb was promoted to offensive coordinator and has been DeBoer’s OC ever since. With Grubb gone, Alabama fans were left wondering what’s next.

Last Tuesday, a report emerged claiming Alabama was promoting tight ends coach Nick Sheridan to offensive coordinator. With so much action swirling around Alabama’s play-calling next season, DeBoer set the record straight during an appearance on “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning.”

“I couldn’t be happier for Ryan and the chance to be with the Seahawks there. He’s gonna do a great job,” DeBoer said. “Just looking at what we’ve done here within, a guy like Nick Sheridan, JaMarcus Shephard, guys who’ve been with me the last two years, and Nick being with me back in 2019.

“He ran the offense then after I left Indiana, so he’s been a part of it for five years. These guys are just such gifted football coaches, amazing people. We’ll keep that system, depending on what we see. Every year it’s a little different with personnel.”

Sheridan was the tight ends coach at Washington for two years and was also the offensive coordinator at Indiana from 2020-21. Prior to that, he coached QBs and TEs from 2017-19 with the Hoosiers.

No matter who calls the plays, the inventor of the offense isn’t going anywhere. Nobody knows DeBoer’s system better than DeBoer himself. While DeBoer hated to see Grubb go, he is excited for him. Further, he is still confident in the Crimson Tide’s offense.

“Our offense and our system has really been built up over many years. I called it for 20 years from 2000 to 2019,” DeBoer said. “I had a great opportunity with Ryan Grubb, who was with me for a lot of those years from 2007 until then to really hand it over.

“I felt like taking over as a head coach was the right thing to do and I knew he was someone who I really trusted and obviously that worked out over the last four years at Fresno State and Washington.”

Alabama fans can only hope DeBoer brings similar success to Tuscaloosa. The 49-year-old head coach has a strong track record. Last season, DeBoer led Washington to its first national championship appearance during the College Football Playoff era.