If you’ve spent any time scrolling through football Twitter or listening to sports radio in the Pacific Northwest—or now, the Deep South—you know the name. Ryan Grubb. To some, he is the offensive mastermind who turned Michael Penix Jr. into a Heisman finalist and nearly brought a national title to Seattle. To others, especially those wearing Seahawks blue last year, he’s the guy who just wouldn't run the ball.
The Ryan Grubb coaching career is a wild ride that basically feels like a "greatest hits" tour of modern offensive football, with a few controversial B-sides mixed in.
Honestly, the way people talk about Grubb, you’d think he was either a wizard or a glutton for punishment. He’s had more "will-he-won't-he" moments with the Alabama Crimson Tide than a character in a bad soap opera. But after a brief, somewhat rocky stint in the NFL, Grubb is back where many think he belongs: the college game.
From Sioux Falls to the National Spotlight
Most people don't realize that the foundation of the Ryan Grubb coaching career wasn't laid in some high-profile SEC or Big Ten program. It started at the NAIA level. We’re talking about the University of Sioux Falls, where he first teamed up with Kalen DeBoer back in 2007.
They weren't just winning games; they were obliterating people.
Grubb started as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator before taking over the offensive coordinator duties in 2010. During his seven-year stretch at Sioux Falls, the team went an absurd 75-13. That's a .852 winning percentage. You don't stumble into that kind of success. He was even the school’s strength and conditioning coach for a while, winning a national award for it in 2008.
The "Grubb System" wasn't born in a vacuum. It was forged in the freezing winters of South Dakota, built on a mix of physical line play and an increasingly aggressive passing attack.
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The Long Road to Washington
After Sioux Falls, the duo moved to Eastern Michigan. If you know anything about MAC football, you know EMU is one of the toughest places to win. Yet, by 2016, Grubb’s offensive line was allowing only 13 sacks all season—a program record.
Then came Fresno State. This is where the Ryan Grubb coaching career really started to pick up national steam.
- 2017-2018: Grubb handles the O-line and the run game. Sacks allowed drop drastically.
- 2019: He gets the Associate Head Coach/OC title.
- 2020-2021: He starts working with quarterbacks. This is the pivot point. The offense becomes a passing juggernaut, leading the Mountain West in total yards and passing yards.
When Kalen DeBoer got the Washington job in 2022, there was zero doubt who was coming with him.
The Washington Years: Peak Ryan Grubb
If you want to understand why Ryan Grubb is such a sought-after name, look at the 2022 and 2023 seasons at the University of Washington. It was offensive fireworks every single Saturday.
In 2022, the Huskies led the entire nation in passing offense, averaging 369.8 yards per game. They were first in third-down conversions (57%) and second in total offense. Michael Penix Jr., who had been injury-prone and inconsistent at Indiana, suddenly looked like the best pure passer in the country.
Grubb's scheme is often compared to an "Air Raid," but it’s a bit more nuanced. He loves to use "bunches" into the boundary—basically putting three receivers on the short side of the field—to force safeties into impossible decisions. This gave Rome Odunze the space he needed to dominate.
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By 2023, the hype was real. Alabama legend Nick Saban actually tried to hire Grubb to be his OC before the 2023 season. Grubb turned him down. He stayed at Washington, went 14-1, won the Pac-12, and made it to the National Championship game.
The NFL "Glitch" and the Alabama Reunion
This is where the Ryan Grubb coaching career gets kinda messy.
After DeBoer left Washington for Alabama in early 2024, Grubb initially followed. He even told a room full of Alabama boosters, "I’m your new offensive coordinator."
Then, the Seattle Seahawks called.
The lure of the NFL—and staying in Seattle where his family was settled—was too much. He took the job under Mike Macdonald. On paper, it looked okay. The Seahawks finished 10-7 in 2024, and the passing game was top-tier. Geno Smith set franchise records for completions and yards.
But there was a problem: the run game. Or lack thereof.
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Seahawks fans were, frankly, miserable. The team was 29th in rushing attempts and 28th in rushing yards. Grubb would often abandon the run entirely, even in close games. By January 6, 2025, the Seahawks decided they'd seen enough. They fired him after just one season, citing "philosophical differences."
Back to the Tide (For Real This Time)
As they say, "third time's the charm." In February 2025, Grubb finally officially joined Alabama as the OC.
The 2025 season in Tuscaloosa has been a rollercoaster. With Ty Simpson under center, Grubb has had to adjust. Simpson is more of a timing-based passer than Penix, and Grubb has adapted by using more anticipation throws over the middle.
Still, the "NFL symptoms" followed him. Critics in Alabama have pointed to the same issues Seattle had: a struggling run game and an offensive line that looks lost at times. Despite an 11-win season and a trip to the College Football Playoff, some Bama fans are already restless.
What Makes a Grubb Offense Different?
If you're watching a game and wondering if it's a Ryan Grubb offense, look for these three things:
- Extreme Aggression on First Down: Grubb loves to throw when the defense expects a run. In Seattle, he threw the ball on 64.1% of first downs.
- Boundary Bunches: As mentioned, he puts his best receivers in tight spaces to create one-on-one matchups on the other side of the field.
- Quarterback Agency: He gives his QBs a ton of power to change protections and plays at the line. This is great if you have a veteran like Penix or Geno Smith, but it can be a nightmare for younger players.
There's no denying the man is a brilliant tactician. But his career has shown a persistent blind spot: he sometimes trusts his scheme more than the reality of his offensive line's talent.
Actionable Takeaways for Football Fans
If you're following the Ryan Grubb coaching career or just trying to sound smarter at your next tailgate, keep these points in mind:
- Watch the Red Zone: This has historically been Grubb's Achilles' heel. His "big play" mentality sometimes struggles when the field shrinks. If Alabama (or his next team) is settling for field goals, that’s a Grubb hallmark you should recognize.
- Context Matters: Grubb’s success is heavily tied to offensive line play. When he has a top-tier line (like at Washington), he’s unstoppable. When he doesn't (like in Seattle or 2025 Alabama), the offense can look "broken."
- The "DeBoer Connection" is Everything: Grubb has spent nearly two decades with Kalen DeBoer. While he tried to strike out on his own in the NFL, his best work has always been alongside his longtime mentor.
The story of Ryan Grubb isn't finished. Whether he's a future head coach or a "forever coordinator" remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure: he’s never going to be boring.