Paul Finebaum believes Ryan Grubb hire at Alabama has 'calmed people down'

Earlier this month, Alabama hired Ryan Grubb as its offensive coordinator. It was a reunion for Grubb and Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer, who have an extensive history together. During an appearance on College Football with Greg McElroy, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum weighed in on the impact of the hire.

“[DeBoer] has already done something critical, and whether it affects everything as much as we think, or it just looks better, the Ryan Grubb hire, I think, has calmed people down because of the past and the connection,” Finebaum said.

Grubb spent this past season as the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator. The Seahawks fired Grubb after the regular season concluded. The Seahawks’ decision came as a surprise to many fans.

After all, the Seahawks averaged 332.2 yards of offense per game this past season, ranking in the top half of the NFL. For reference, the Kansas City Chiefs averaged five fewer yards per game.

With the Seahawks not appreciating his talents, Grubb will look to show off his offensive expertise in Tuscaloosa while reuniting with his old friend, Kalen DeBoer.

The pair began coaching together when Grubb came to Sioux Falls in 2007. Since then, Grubb and DeBoer have constantly collaborated. Grubb served under DeBoer as an offensive coordinator at Fresno State and Washington.

While Finebaum believes that Grubb could help Alabama’s offense make significant strides next season, he also knows Crimson Tide fans will have to see it to believe it.

“But I have not heard Alabama fans quite like this. I have heard them like this before because I’ve covered everything [Bear] Bryant’s end and it is reminiscent of some of the things I heard at various points,” Finebaum said. “But one thing I do know about Alabama fans, I mean, they will come back. They have not left yet. They’re just making a lot of noise.

“I think if DeBoer gets things back on track, and I’ve seen some of the comments you’ve made, and I agree with you, I think they are going to get back on track… I’m fairly bullish on Alabama. They didn’t miss by that much last year.”

Alabama finished as the No. 11 team in the College Football Playoff rankings last season but wasn’t given a CFP berth after suffering a 24-3 loss to Oklahoma in Week 13.

Alabama’s inconsistent offense was largely responsible for its shortcomings in the 2024 campaign. With Grubb calling the plays, Alabama will look to excel on offense in the upcoming season.