Seahawks Choose Upside Over Experience Hiring Ryan Grubb as Offensive Coordinator

Rather than hand the keys to their offense to an also-ran, the Seattle Seahawks decided to swing for the fences hiring Ryan Grubb as their offensive coordinator despite the fact he has never coached in the NFL before.

During his first session with local media as head coach on February 1, Mike Macdonald indicated the Seattle Seahawks wouldn't be prioritizing past NFL play calling experience at the top of their wish list in their hunt for a new offensive coordinator to join his staff.

"We're looking for the right person to come in here and build this thing," Macdonald told reporters. "We want somebody that's open-minded, that has a growth mindset, that can connect with their players, and build a system that's unique to the Seattle Seahawks that's going to live here for a long time and who's going to be the one spearheading it."

As it turns out, Macdonald wasn't simply spewing coach speak. Only two days after introducing himself as Alabama's new offensive coordinator at a Signing Day event, Ryan Grubb won't be coaching a game in Tuscaloosa after all and per multiple sources, the former Washington play caller is expected to return to the Pacific Northwest and sign with Seattle as early as Sunday.

Looking back at Macdonald's response from last week, Grubb checks off all of the boxes the Seahawks were looking for in an offensive coordinator. Though he hasn't been a coach in the NFL before and will have to make some adjustments to his scheme against pro talent, the Iowa native has achieved immense success at every stop he's made at the college level, including most recently orchestrating one of the nation's most explosive offenses with the Huskies over the past two seasons.

Aside from coaching Michael Penix in Washington, Ryan Grubb has found great success as a run game coordinator, offensive line coach, and offensive coordinator with multiple college programs / USA TODAY

Long before he transformed quarterback Michael Penix into a Heisman finalist in Montlake, Grubb first cut his teeth as an offensive line coach at NAIA program Sioux Falls, helping the program win two national championships. After coach Kalen Deboer departed for Southern Illinois, he received a promotion as an offensive coordinator for the first time while also coaching quarterbacks, setting the table for future success.

Demonstrating the growth mindset Macdonald coveted, Grubb wore many hats over the past decade while coaching against superior competition. Reuniting with Deboer at Eastern Michigan, he returned to his roots as an offensive line coach and oversaw a unit that finished in the top 10 for fewest sacks allowed in 2016. Going to Fresno State in 2017, he continued coaching offensive line at an elite level while adding the run game coordinator tag to his job description.

Two years later, following another departure by Deboer to become Indiana's offensive coordinator, Grubb again stepped up as offensive coordinator and associate head coach, guiding the Bulldogs to three straight seasons finishing 36th or better in the nation in scoring and 18th or better in passing offense.

Taking his coaching game to a whole other level, Grubb played an integral role in Washington's rapid ascent to national title contender after teaming back up with Deboer as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach. Tutoring the gunslinging Penix along the way, the program finished seventh and 13 in points per game in 2022 and 2023 with top-three passing attacks, lighting up opposing defenses on a weekly basis to post a gaudy 25-3 record with a berth into last year's title game.

As for being open-minded, Grubb has exhibited remarkable adaptability and flexibility in his three separate stops as an offensive coordinator. Early in his coaching career at Sioux Falls, while the Cougars had a dynamic passing game that ranked among the country's best, they were equally dominant running the football with more under center looks. At Fresno State and Washington, his teams transitioned to a pro-style spread scheme with a heavy emphasis on shotgun formations.

Beyond formations, Grubb effectively incorporates a ton of pre-snap motion to create conflict for opposing defenses in the pass and run game. He has shown himself to be a master at deploying screens, using them to effectively neutralize opposing pass rushes and set up shot plays downfield, which Washington did as well as any team over the past two years racking up explosive passes in bunches.

Leaning on his extensive background coaching in the trenches, Grubb's offensive lines have consistently been among the nation's best, including the Huskies finishing with the second-fewest sacks given up in 2022. This has played a vital role in his offenses being dominant moving the chains on third down, including leading the country in conversion rate (57 percent) that season.

Beyond his impact on the sideline, Grubb has a strong track record of building a rapport with players and coaches. In his short time with Washington, he also meshed with the Seattle community, which certainly played a role in his decision to spurn Alabama and come back to the region for his first NFL coaching opportunity.

Just 47 years old, Grubb could easily be on the fast track to a head coaching job in the league if he eventually wants one. Macdonald and general manager John Schneider know that is a possibility, especially if he excels as they anticipate coordinating an explosive Seahawks offense loaded with young skill talents such as DK Metcalf and Ken Walker III.

Why Ex Washington Coach Would Be 'Right Person' for Seahawks OC

At the same time, while it may seem ironic given how quickly he bolted Tuscaloosa, Grubb could very well be the offensive coordinator Macdonald desired that would stay a while due to his obvious love for the city.

Of course, not to get the wagon ahead of the horse, Grubb will first have to prove he can get the job done in the NFL with Seattle rolling the dice on a coach who will be entering uncharted territory after coaching two decades at multiple levels of the college ranks. In comparison to experienced play callers such as Frank Reich or Eric Bieniemy who were available for hire as safer plays, the lack of a prior track record always carries known substantial risk.

Already having showcased his ability to build a system around the personnel at his disposal with a diverse coaching background, however, the Seahawks clearly are confident he has what it takes to position his players for success against the best of the best. Rather than settle on a known commodity with a higher floor, they are putting all of their chips on the table hoping to see the gamble pay off with a high-powered offense paving the way for a future Super Bowl run.