How ex-Seahawks OC Ryan Grubb is taking harsh NFL lessons learned to Alabama

A lot of the time, longtime college coaches making the jump to the NFL end up not working out. Unfortunately, the Seattle Seahawks found that out firsthand last year with Ryan Grubb.

After leading the Washington Huskies' dynamic offense, Grubb joined the Seahawks as their offensive coordinator under new head coach Mike Macdonald. Much to their disappointment, his pass-heavy offense that found great success in the college ranks did not translate well to the NFL. While Geno Smith ranked fourth in the league with 4,320 passing yards, he also threw 15 interceptions and the run game was practically non-existent at points.

The Seahawks ended up firing Grubb after the season, and he reunited with former Washington coach Kalen DeBoer at Alabama. He initially joined the Crimson Tide last offseason, but left after the Seahawks came knocking on his door.

While his time with the Seahawks was a disappointment, Grubb still learned a lot of valuable lessons throughout the year. Now, he's applying those lessons at his next coaching stop.

 

July 30, 2025; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Quarterback Keelon Russell drops back under the watch of offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb during the first practice session of the preseason for the Alabama Crimson Tide. / Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

 

 

"A ton. A ton," Grubb told reporters after Thursday's practice. "I think any league right like you, you move from Mountain West to the PAC 12, Pac 12 to SEC, SEC to the NFL. I think there's different type of coordinator families, different type of coverage structures and things like that tha people run that run through conferences and areas of football. So I think you know, from that standpoint, you're just getting used to attacking different types of defenses."

Even those who worked with Grubb previously can see a clear difference in him. Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard, who played at Washington in 2023, spoke on how his coordinator's NFL experience has influenced him.

“Coach Grubb, he was in the league so he learned a lot of things,” Bernard said. “And so he’s bringing those things in, into the playbook. So I think, just learning those new things, and giving us the opportunity to run more NFL plays, I think that’s going to give us a great opportunity to show scouts that we can run NFL routes, make NFL plays.”

The Crimson Tide fell just short of the College Football Playoff last season, but with Grubb back in the fold, they'll look to get back to being national championship contenders once again.