Husky revenge? Seahawks may grab more of DeBoer’s coaches

Feb 10, 2024, 12:06 AM | Updated: 1:53 pm

Editor, Seattle Sports

The contingent of football fans in Seattle who feel spurned by Kalen DeBoer bolting for Alabama days after coaching the UW Huskies in the national championship game may be getting their revenge thanks to the Seahawks.

It all started Friday night when news broke that the Seahawks are expected to hire previous UW Huskies offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb to take their OC role under new head coach Mike Macdonald.

Huard: Good, bad and ugly of Seahawks getting OC Ryan Grubb

As sweet as that may be for those who are fans of both the Huskies and Hawks – if only because Grubb had announced himself just days before as Alabama’s OC – it may just be the beginning.

On Friday night, ESPN senior college football writer Adam Rittenberg wondered on social media if other coaches from DeBoer’s staff that went from UW to Bama, particularly on the offensive side under Grubb, could land jobs with the Hawks. One strong reason he brought up is the fact that they wouldn’t have to leave their homes in Seattle to relocate to Alabama.

Rittenberg followed up a few hours later with a name to report expected to join Grubb with the Seahawks: offensive line coach Scott Huff.

What I'm hearing on Alabama's staff, per sources, following Ryan Grubb's departure.

– OL coach Scott Huff expected to join Seahawks
– Nick Sheridan (TEs) and JaMarcus Shephard (WRs) both likely to stay as co-OCs, which is significant. Sheridan could be playcaller, move to QBs.

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) February 10, 2024

That would be a coup for the Seahawks, as the high-flying UW Huskies offense the past two years under DeBoer and Grubb has featured a stellar and at times dominant O-line.

Seattle Sports’ Brock Huard, a FOX football analyst and former UW Huskies quarterback, pointed to that O-line strength when he talked about Grubb as a Seahawks OC candidate last week during an edition of Brock and Salk. And what he said be only be reinforced by the presence of Huff.

“This team needs an identity at the offensive line,” Huard said of the Seahawks. “It needs that mindset at the offensive line, and that is this dude’s background… (Grubb) turned (Troy) Fautanu into a first-round pick, and I think Roger Rosengarten with the work he did (at the Senior Bowl) is probably going to be drafted in the first 50 to 60 picks as well in a super deep offensive line draft. He’s developed guys there at that position and gets the most out of them, which you have to do at the NFL. I love that.”