Why Kalen DeBoer should target Missouri's offensive staff to fill a pair of critical openings at Alabama

Football’s game of musical chairs made its way back to Alabama over the weekend, as offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and offensive line coach Scott Huff are headed to join Mike McDonald’s staff with the Seattle Seahawks. 

Suddenly, the Crimson Tide are in the market for their fourth offensive coordinator (Bill O’Brien, Tommy Rees, Grubb) in just over a year. 

It’s hardly an ideal situation for new head coach Kalen DeBoer, who already is the guy replacing the guy at Alabama — and now he must do so without his longtime lieutenant. DeBoer and Grubb have worked together for 12 of the last 13 seasons at four different schools. They honed and tweaked the offensive scheme that swept the nation the last two years at Washington (Top 5 in passing, scoring). Grubb was the play-caller for the Huskies, helping develop Michael Penix Jr. into a Heisman Trophy contender in 2023. 

When Grubb was passed over for Washington’s head coaching job, DeBoer made sure his right-hand man joined him in Tuscaloosa. He also brought the majority of the rest of his offensive staff, including Huff, wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard and tight ends coach Nick Sheridan.

But now Grubb is gone, and so is Huff, and although the ex-strength coach turned wunderkind play-caller will generate most of the headlines, the bigger blow in the present might be the loss of Alabama’s new OL coach. 

Huff spent the last seven seasons at Washington, becoming the lone staff holdover from the Chris Peterson/Jimmy Lake eras to work for Deboer. Last season, Huff oversaw the Huskies’ Joe Moore Award-winning unit, which allowed just 12 sacks in 15 games despite their prolific pass attempts. He’s a multi-nominated Broyles Award candidate who has developed linemen at Boise State and Washington.

Given Alabama’s offensive line inconsistencies the last few years, particularly last season when the group struggled to protect Jalen Milroe (SEC-high 49 sacks allowed), Huff was seen as a much-needed stabilizing presence for a group that has lacked development and continuity. 

Instead, the Tide will have their fifth OL coach in four seasons for a unit that remains the biggest question mark for the 2024 team. 

So how will Alabama fill out its offensive staff?

Kalen DeBoer is an Xs and Os wizard who taught Ryan Grubb his original scheme. DeBoer lost a trusted assistant, but in the short term, he could assume play-calling duties for Alabama in 2024. 

That’s unlikely to be anyone’s first choice, as the likes of Ryan Day, Eli Drinkwitz and Lane Kiffin have all recently come to the same conclusion that ceding play-calling responsibilities actually makes them a better head coach. 

And when you’re following in the footsteps of Nick Saban, your attention probably needs to be everywhere, not just coaching QBs and game-planning. 

Still, for all the examples of where it hasn’t worked in recent years (Jimbo Fisher, Billy Napier), there are plenty of head coaches still calling plays who are thriving right now (Josh Heupel, Alex Goelesh and Rhett Lashlee). 

ESPN reported that Sheridan, who worked with DeBoer at Indiana and Washington, and Shephard could assume co-offensive coordinator responsibilities and play-calling duties would be divvied out at a later date. There’s also the potential for Shephard to join Grubb and Huff in Seattle. 

But DeBoer could solve multiple problems in a single swoop if he manages to poach a pair of coaches away from Missouri. 

Convince Kirby Moore, who was DeBoer’s wide receivers coach at Fresno State and has since become a $1 million coordinator in the SEC, to come to Tuscaloosa and bring Tigers’ OL coach Brandon Jones will him. 

Moore did wonders working with Brady Cook in 2023 and could be great for Milroe’s development. Meanwhile, Jones is a 15-year veteran OL coach who has coached in pass-happy offenses for Drinkwitz, Dana Holgorsen, Sonny Dykes, Lincoln Riley and others. Last season, the Tigers averaged 6.5 yards per play and 32.5 points per game. Running behind Jones’ OL, Cody Schrader led the league in rushing (1,627 yards). 

A month into his Alabama tenure, DeBoer already faces some difficult decisions.

He could do it himself, and simply call plays in 2024. He could promote from within and oversee a pair of young coaches.

The answer might be residing in Columbia, MO right now, though.