There will be no time to relax for Alabama football’s new offensive coordinator. Ryan Grubb is on his way to Tuscaloosa to lead the Crimson Tide’s offense, taking the job he held briefly when Kalen DeBoer first took over as head coach, before he returned to Seattle for a stint with the NFL’s Seahawks.
Grubb arrives to take over an offense that struggled with consistency last season. Here are some of the top challenges he’ll face throughout the rest of the offseason.
Who is Alabama’s next starting quarterback?
It’s the most obvious question of Alabama’s offseason. Jalen Milroe is gone, off to the NFL Draft after two seasons as the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback, so who will replace him in 2025?
The candidates include Ty Simpson, who was the Tide’s primary backup for the past two seasons, Austin Mack, who followed DeBoer from Washington, and five-star true freshman Keelon Russell. Simpson is the presumed frontrunner given his experience in 2023 and 2024.
However, Grubb was the primary recruiter at UW for Mack. Could that give the redshirt sophomore an advantage he didn’t previously hold?
On the other hand, Grubb didn’t recruit Michael Penix Jr. out of high school and that worked just fine. Whoever the choice is, it will be a huge decision for both Grubb and DeBoer’s tenures in Tuscaloosa.
What will the Crimson Tide’s run game look like?
Last season, Alabama’s rushing attack centered around Milroe. Meanwhile, in Seattle, one of the major complaints about Grubb was that he didn’t run the ball enough.
Jam Miller returns to Alabama’s backfield, and Justice Haynes transfer to Michigan means Richard Young will likely play an increased part for the Crimson Tide. Grubb will be tasked with remedying one of UA’s weaknesses from the 2024 season, and getting the running backs more involved in the offense.
He likely won’t have the rushing threat at quarterback with Milroe gone. None of the three competing for the job are anywhere near as dangerous out of the backfield.
In the absence of that, perhaps Grubb’s greatest challenge will be figuring out how to make the Crimson Tide effective on the ground.
How will Alabama replace major offensive line pieces?
Grubb got a gift before he joined Alabama, when center Parker Brailsford decided to forego the NFL Draft and return to Tuscaloosa for another season. He’ll also have Kadyn Proctor and Jaeden Roberts back up front.
However, the rest of the group is up in the air. With Elijah Pritchett gone, Alabama will need to figure out whether Wilkin Formby is ready to take over at right tackle full time, or find a starter-quality replacement through the portal.
Opposite Roberts at left guard, the Tide also must find a way to replace Tyler Booker. The battle for that spot will likely include Texas A&M transfer Kam Dewberry, and freshman Michael Carroll.
For Alabama to be able to run the sort of offense Grubb and DeBoer will want to put in place, getting the offensive line right will be absolutely crucial this offseason.
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