The 2024-25 season marks a fresh start for the Seattle Seahawks, not on the field, but on the sidelines. With HC Pete Carroll and OC Shane Waldron departing this offseason, the team has overhauled its coaching staff, which includes bringing in new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.
Serving as the offensive coordinator at the University of Washington for the past two seasons, Grubb is making his first jump to the NFL. This season will also be his first without former head coach Kalen DeBoer — the two had worked together since 2007.
Grubb faces the daunting task of leaping from college football into the NFL. It may take him a season or two to adapt to his new role as an NFL coordinator, but three key factors will contribute to his success:
Modern football concepts
Grubb implemented a pass-centric offense while at the University of Washington. His offense used a complex system of pre-snap motions to manipulate and identify defensive coverages.
The NFL is faster and more intense than college football. Teams are more experienced and less susceptible to tricks and deception. Which leaves the question, can Grubb’s window-dressing cause chaos at the professional level? The teams that used presnap motion the most in 2023 — the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens — were all playoff teams with consistent offensive production.
Presnap motion is the key to a consistently productive and explosive offense in the modern NFL. Grubb’s playbook checks that box, which is not a guarantee for success, but should help smooth the transition.
Talented offensive personnel
The Seahawks boast a talented roster for Grubb to work with, especially in the receiving game. With DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jake Bobo, Seattle has one of the NFL’s top receiving groups. Pro Football Focus ranks its receiving corps as the 10th-best in the league.
The talent doesn’t stop with the receivers. Kenneth Walker III anchors Seattle’s backfield and has averaged 977 rushing yards in his first two seasons. At the end of the 2023-24 campaign, Walker III earned a 83.5 PFF grade, ranking him as the sixth-best running back in the NFL.
Whether it’s by land or air, Grubb has plenty of talented playmakers to scheme for in Seattle.
Experience as a quarterback coach
Grubb has served as both an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the past four seasons. Across his 21-year coaching career, he has consistently enhanced quarterback performance at every program he’s been with. He notably guided Fresno State to a top-five national ranking in passing yards per game in 2020 and helped Michael Penix Jr. achieve a career-high in passing yards at Washington.
Grubb’s expertise with quarterbacks should benefit veteran Seahawks QB Geno Smith. While Smith has had a career resurgence, he continued to struggle with consistency last season. If Grubb can help Smith deliver a steady performance each week, the Seahawks offense has the potential to become one of the top units in the NFL.
Grubb’s modern offensive strategies, talented roster and solid quarterback-coaching background have positioned him well to succeed as the Seahawks’ new offensive coordinator.
