OC Ryan Grubb says he won’t be UW Huskies coach – but ‘wanted to be’

Ryan Grubb, one of the more popular names to come up as a candidate to replace Kalen DeBoer as UW Huskies coach, is not in the race.

Reports: UW Huskies will hire Arizona’s Jedd Fisch as coach

Grubb, who was Washington’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under DeBoer the past two seasons, shared Saturday night on social media that he will not be the next Huskies head coach. Based on his message, it sounds like it was UW that was not interested in handing the reins to him even though Grubb himself was interested in the position.

“Though I wanted to be, I will not be the next head coach at the University of Washington,” Grubb wrote. “It would have been a dream to stay here and fight to maintain the standard that had been reestablished.”

What’s next for the 45-year-old Grubb? Per a report on ESPN.com, sources have told ESPN’s Chris Low that Grubb will join DeBoer at Alabama to continue to be his OC. Ironically, Grubb turned down the chance to become Alabama OC under Nick Saban last offseason.

Here is Grubb’s full message on social media from Saturday night:

pic.twitter.com/oFjaDsqRPw

— Ryan Grubb (@GrubbRyan) January 14, 2024

Grubb has coached under DeBoer at nearly every stop the latter has made going back to Sioux Falls from 2007-13, including Eastern Michigan and Fresno State.

A lot of credit goes to Grubb as the play-caller for Washington’s high-flying offense, which was led the last two years on the field by quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who was second in 2023 Heisman Trophy voting, and a trio of star wide receivers: Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillian and Ja’Lynn Polk.

With Grubb out of the running for the UW Huskies’ vacancy, the three names that garnered the most attention on social media were Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch, Kansas coach Lance Leipold, and recently ousted Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. Fisch emerged Sunday afternoon as Washington’s primary target, per multiple reports by college football insiders.

More on UW Huskies coach search

• Tumultuous week leaves UW Huskies football trying to rebuild
• Will Carroll coach again? What he said, plus the UW factor
• The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman: Top candidates for UW job
• UW Huskies Coach Candidates: Who will replace Alabama-bound DeBoer?
• Brock Huard on DeBoer leaving, what UW Huskies must do next

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