Kalen DeBoer is relentlessly working toward reshuffling the Alabama roster and the coaching room. After enduring inevitable heartbreak in his first year at Tuscaloosa, DeBoer must prove himself in year two. He is making some big strides in the compelling off-season, and the biggest one of them all is Ryan Grubb. The new offensive coordinator has been the most anticipated hire due to his old ties with DeBoer.

The Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator was fired in January and has since been rumored to reunite with DeBoer. Eventually, it manifested, replacing UA’s primary play caller and OC Nick Sheridan. But Sheridan remains in the house as co-offensive coordinator. But guess what, if you compare the compensation between the ex and present OC, there’s a palpable contrast.

Ryan Grubb inked a deal worth $1 million per year with a total of two years as per the contract. Sheridan, on the other hand, will draw a whopping $1.45 million through Feb. 28, 2026, and $1.55 million beginning March 1, 2026.

Committee member Ken Simon questioned what exactly caused the salary disparity between the two stalwarts before the deal was approved. “How’d you get Ryan Grubb at that price?” Simon asked UA athletics director Greg Byrne. “He’s an NFL-level coordinator. Sounds like a pretty good deal.”

However, nothing about it should upset anyone. It’s purely technical and for the sake of a fair deal of business. ”He had an existing contract with the Seattle Seahawks that helped us in our structure of our compensation for him,” Byrne replied. “And there are play callers within the SEC that are in that range, so it was the market rate for us.” Ryan Grubb initially left Alabama to return to the Seahawks in 2024, only to rejoin the Crimson Tide later.

The gap in the pay margin will however be adjusted through the other additional bonuses included in Grubb’s million-dollar. To give a glimpse of those figures, the new OC will draw $25,000 for an SEC Championship Game appearance $35,000 for a College Football Playoff appearance. He will earn $45,000 for reaching the CFP quarterfinals, $60,000 for the semifinals, $85,000 for the national title game, and $110,000 for winning the championship.

However, if Grubb tires of DeBoer’s strategy or struggles to grasp the essence of the Bama offense and chooses to leave, he will owe a significant buyout amount. For the SEC rivals’ assistant coach jobs, he will have to pay UA 75 percent of his remaining salary. While for the non-SEC and the NFL teams, it will come down to 50% on paper. However, if he opts for a head coaching job, it would be easier to bear. He will owe nothing to the team in that case.

The Alabama locker room believes Grubb will contrast DeBoer’s laid-back attitude and create balance.

Ryan Grubb seems to complement Kalen DeBoer’s way of thinking

Kalen DeBoer’s acceptance in the Bama has been an open secret to the fans. The day he stepped into the Bama locker room, players seemed highly disinterested and aloof. DeBoer maintained a smile and an amicable attitude to bond with them, but the extreme miscoordination in the field clearly speaks of the lack of coach-athlete harmony.

It was never a cakewalk to live up to the Nick Saban legacy, but players showed him zero mercy. What do they dislike most about the coaching philosophies of the two? Saban was one of the most intense coaches in CFB history.

But players feel DeBoer struggles to handle pressure, often succumbing to major challenges. Ryan Grubb could be the solution. Parker Brailsford dubbed him “mean” but said that “it’s a good thing,” at least, he is not adding to DeBoer’s indifferent demeanor.

Josh Cuevas shared his thoughts on the coach he previously played under at Washington. ‘‘I think he’s solid,” Cuevas came clean on his expectation. “I’d just say he’s solid. Like, he knows what the standard is, and whenever the standard needs to be implemented, and he sees that you have the potential and you’re not working up to that potential, then he’ll get in your face.

He added, “But it’s for a purpose, like he’s gonna get in your face for a reason.” We will see how DeBoer and Grubb can align with the same goal, Alabama’s growth down the road!