Seattle Seahawks Rookie Christian Haynes Raves About Offensive Staff

Seattle Seahawks guard Christian Haynes loves the challenges the coaches have laid out for him.

Feb 1, 2024; Mobile, AL, USA; American offensive lineman Christian Haynes of UConn (63) battles with / Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks are rolling into 2024 with a new coaching staff for the first time in nearly a decade and a half, but local fans will recognize a few familiar faces.

In assembling his staff, new Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald snagged a few assistants from the Washington Huskies, who just made the national championship game last season. The big hire was offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who led one of college football's most electrifying offenses over the past two seasons. However, Grubb also brought along offensive line coach Scott Huff, who coached a Huskies unit that won the 2023 Joe Moore Award as the best in the country.

As the Seahawks' offseason work begins to ramp up, it seems the two former Huskies coaches are making a strong first impression. During an appearance on Seattle Sports' "Brock and Salk," rookie guard Christian Haynes sung both coaches' praises, giving special attention to Huff.

Mar 3, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Connecticut offensive lineman Christian Haynes (OL33) during the / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

“I love Coach Huff so far. He’s just a real technique-based guy,” Haynes said. “Like, you can have the right angles, but he really harps (on) the technique, and I really love that in an O-line coach because in this league you need to have great technique to be able to block the best defenders possible. And I love that how, like, even though I’m doing a good job, he’s harping on even make me even better. I love that (from) an offensive line coach as a player.”

Grubb, who followed Washington coach Kalen DeBoer to Alabama before joining the Seahawks, has also made a strong first impression on the rookie lineman.

"Coach Grubb, he’s a great guy as well,” Haynes said. “Being around the offensive line… talking to us, giving us his own perspective of things. Like, I remember (Grubb saying) we have to communicate more and (that) the defense is communicating back off of the line, to make sure we’re getting everything we need possibly done so we are able to execute the play correctly. Just having him as another tool, it just really helps us out as an offensive line.”

Haynes, the No. 81 pick in April's NFL Draft, could push for a starting job right away, and it seems the coaching staff is putting him in great position to do so.