Where Seahawks offense is at as first preseason game nears

During his time coaching in college, new Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb developed a reputation as an innovative play-caller.

New Seattle Seahawks OC Ryan Grubb is ‘wild,’ says coach Mike Macdonald

The former UW Huskies OC is known for the constant array of pre-snap motions he uses to keep defenses guessing, and his ability to exploit matchups.

According to Grubb, his capabilities as a play-caller stem from a little bit of “trail and error” throughout over 20 years of coaching dating back to his days at Kingsley-Pierson High School in Kingsley, Iowa.

“I do think it takes time and it takes rapport with both your staff and players,” Grubb said Tuesday after the 12th day of Seahawks training camp. “I think it takes an ego-free environment, and sometimes you got to learn that the hard way and understand that there has to be a collaboration.”

That type of collaboration is going on in training camp, with Grubb highlighting the contributions of wide receiver coach Frisman Jackson to the offensive schemes.

“There’s a concept that we put in a couple days ago that I hadn’t run and Fris had some experience with it, and it was awesome,” Grubb said. “It’s been great for us. It’s been a staple the last couple days, and you just have to be OK realizing that best idea wins, doesn’t matter whose it is.”

Grubb faces the challenge of trying to translate an innovate scheme that worked wonders in college to the NFL. As evident by so many cases in the past, it is a task that is much easier said than done (just ask former Oregon coach Chip Kelly).

Seahawks fans will get their first look at what Grubb’s offensive scheme can do in the NFL on Saturday during the team’s preseason opener at the Los Angeles Chargers. However, it won’t quite be a full look with the offense being about 70 to 80% installed, according to Grubb, and many starters expected to play a series or less.

“I feel like the bones of everything we need to do are there,” Grubb said. “There’s probably some of the finer details and some of the motions and movements and things like that, that you can add to some of the concepts that we already have in. So I feel like we got a lot of the basic structure. Now there’s some of the fine-tuning stuff that happens, some of the late-game mechanics, situational football, things like that we have to continue to build.”

Grubb is one of many new coaches on an overhauled staff under new leader Mike Macdonald. With many of those coaches also working with each other for the first time this season, continuing to build a rapport will be key during the team’s three preseason games.

Seattle coaches have used headsets to communicate during practices to help simulate some of the in-game situations they could see. Last weekend’s practice at Lumen Field also offered plenty of chances to replicate those scenarios.

Another factor that’s been helpful for Grubb in installing his scheme is having offensive line coach Scott Huff on the staff. Huff was the O-line coach for UW the past seven seasons, which included two alongside Grubb.

“When you have another person that’s responsible for that much of the offense and pass protection, run scheme, things like that, getting that translation down for everybody else on the staff and being able to get this thing off the ground quickly and efficiently and the way you want it to is pivotal,” Grubb said. “So Huff’s obviously been a huge part of that.”

Standing out

The Seahawks weren’t in pads during Tuesday’s practice, but they had been in recent days. Those padded practices offered a better look at the run game, which Grubb has been encouraged by.

“Yesterday and then at times on Saturday, I felt like we were able to come together and start moving some people off the line of scrimmage, which was really encouraging,” Grubb said. “Obviously, that’s something you want to be able to hang your hat on is that you can establish line of scrimmage, have a good run game and set up the rest of your game plan.”

The offensive line remains a bit of a question mark for the Seahawks, but Tuesday’s agreement on a one-year deal with veteran interior O-lineman Connor Williams should help fill a need at either center or guard.

The running back room is a different story with the talented duo of Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. Grubb had plenty of positive things to say about Walker on Tuesday.

“I think he gets better every single day. I think the sky’s the limit for him. I think he’s a really, really talented, powerful back that’s a true three-tool guy,” Grubb said. “He’s a natural runner, he (knows) what to do with the ball in his hand. Now he’s intelligent in the in the pass-protection scheme, he works really hard at it and I think he’s getting a lot better. And he’s electric out of the backfield as a pass catcher.”

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