Looks like Alabama Crimson Tide HC Kalen DeBoer no longer wants any mess up. He knows how the seat can get hot. After all, replacing the GOAT Nick Saban is no easy task. But atleast he can try to make some shifts that might help him earn the Alabama fans’ trust little by little.

Amidst landing players, DeBoer has started to make some changes to his roster—this time with some NFL touch. The Crimson Tide HC is all set to bring in OC Ryan Grubb, who is known for spreading his coaching magic in the league. Not only this. In this process, DeBoer will also be able to retain his old staffer, Nick Sheridan. 

Kalen DeBoer won’t let go of his old connection

DeBoer and co.’s big dreams for 2024 got crushed. All thanks to the Michigan Wolverines for beating Alabama 19-13 in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Amidst the sad ending, one of the things that the fans are most upset about has been the Crimson Tide’s offense. No doubt that they have been one of the most sporadic in the country. This was a unit that averaged 44.6 points per game over its first five games of the season, scoring at least 35 points in every game. But down the stretch, they lost their charm. Their wheels fell off, coming off as a dysfunctional unit while playing against Tennessee (314 yards on 4.0 YPP), Oklahoma (234 yards on 4.1 YPP), and Michigan (260 yards on 4.2 YPP). But even then, DeBoer has taken an interesting decision.

As ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg tweeted, “Nick Sheridan, who served as Alabama’s primary offensive coordinator in 2024, and co-OC JaMarcus Shephard will remain with the Tide staff, according to sources. Both worked with Grubb at Washington in 2022 and 2023.”  While the Alabama HC was expected to hit the ‘REVAMP’ button when it came to his coaching staff, he did. But at the same time, he did not want to let go of the old ones. Both Sheridan and JaMarcus Shephard landed in Tuscaloosa after DeBoer came in from Washington. And the Crimson Tide HC can’t let go of them now. 

In his one season as Alabama OC, Sheridan led the program to 422.8 yards of offense per game. This pushed them to hold the 7th rank. Not to forget, under him, DeBoer’s boys had the fourth-best run game in the SEC with 182.7 rushing yards per game. With Sheridan calling plays, Alabama averaged 35.5 points per game, third-best in the SEC and No. 22 nationally.

Now that DeBoer has hired Grubb, it puts Sheridan’s role in flux. However, the Alabama HC might be having some reasons behind this shake-up.   

The return of the Kalen DeBoer-Ryan Grubb proven duo 

For the fourth consecutive season, DeBoer’s program will have a different man running its offense. In 2025 it will be Grubb as the OC, a spot that Sheridan filled in after Tommy Rees in 2023 and Bill O’Brien in 2022. Maybe that’s the only key to making their return to being one of the nation’s elite offenses. After all, Grubb and Sheridan are a match made in heaven. At least their Washington Huskies chapter says so. 

Before their split, the Huskies were the nation’s No.12 offense in yards per game (462.1). A year before that, it was the No.2 offense in yards per game. Even though he followed DeBoer to Tuscaloosa and even worked for a few weeks, finally he made his way out to the NFL. Back then, the Seattle Seahawks hired him to run their offense. That’s when the HC upgraded Sheridan into the OC spot. And we all know what happened next? Alabama finished with the No. 42 offense in yards per game (410.2).

However, Ryan Grubb kept on spreading his magic in the NFL. The Seahawks had the No. 14 offense out of 32 in yards per game (332.2). But something was missing. Do you know what?

The Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb combo that electrified Washington for two years was nowhere to be seen. The duo have worked together to mold players like Michael Penix Jr. and Jake Haener, both NFL quarterbacks now. Now, with a reunion in the making and a foundation still intact, Crimson Tide fans have every reason to believe in better days ahead.