Enough about Bama’s slip-ups—let’s flip the script. Alabama’s comeback is on the way, and Kalen DeBoer is building a coaching dream team. Wild, right? This could be the turning point for Alabama. After last season’s offensive struggles with a makeshift staff, DeBoer has locked in the offensive coordinator he knows and trusts. A reunion is brewing in Tuscaloosa, and after their roughest finish since 2007, the Tide is gearing up for a major rebound.

The game-changer? Ryan Grubb. Alabama just made a power move by bringing Grubb in to replace Nick Sheridan as the lead play-caller. Grubb, a proven college offensive mastermind, set defenses on fire in 2023, taking Washington to a National Championship. But his NFL adventure? Not so smooth. After a tough season with the Seahawks—scoring just 22.1 points per game and missing the playoffs—head coach Mike Macdonald made the call: Grubb was out. Now, Grubb’s back where he belongs, in the college game, ready to light up defenses once again.

But you know, when Alabama brought in Kalen DeBoer as head coach last Jan, Grubb was ready to follow him from Washington as the Tide’s next OC. But instead, Grubb stayed in Seattle, taking the OC role with the Seahawks. However, now, his return to Alabama could be a significant change. But why Bama? Fox Sports’ Brock Huard says Grubb’s perfect for Alabama’s fast-paced offense. With his explosive play-calling and deep knowledge of CFB, he is ready to ignite Tuscaloosa and take the Tide to new heights.

In a recent episode of The Next Round, Brock Huard dropped some major insight on Ryan Grubb’s hire as Alabama’s new OC—and he gave three perfect reasons why this move is a game-changer. “Number one, he’s better suited when he is paired with people he has familiarity with—decades of time together and the speed of trust that comes from that. Number two, schematically, the defenses you see in college football are a perfect match for his style. Everything I just said about picking apart the weaknesses and finding the weakest link to exploit—they’ve been doing that for decades at a high level,” said Huard.

“And third, and most importantly, it’s the personality,” Huard said.”There was a time when coaching 25 to 35-year-old men was a challenge because you coach them differently with guaranteed contracts than you do 17 to 22-year-olds. Now, with NIL deals and big contracts in college, the landscape’s changed, but from a personality standpoint, Grubb can be gruff. He can be challenging. He has conviction.” Looks like Grubb’s got the edge to connect with players at every level.

And all the credit goes to Pete Carroll’s ‘good cop, bad cop’ strategy. That’s the inspiration behind this dynamic. Clearing up the Carroll connection, Huard said, “When Pete Carroll lost Ken Norton to the Raiders in 2016-17, the Seahawks missed Ken Norton’s bark. He was the bad cop to Pete’s good cop on the field.” Now, in Alabama’s case, it looks like Grubb can step into that bad cop role while Kalen DeBoer plays the good cop. A perfect balance for the Tide’s offense.

But it’s not just Carroll—local journalists deserve credit too. They gave Kalen DeBoer some crucial advice, and it’s paying off big time. Their insight helped shape the perfect coaching combo in Tuscaloosa.

Journalists’ advice to Kalen DeBoer

Hey, this is Alabama—where expectations aren’t just high, they’re sky-high! And it’s not just football; they roll into everything. Now, let’s dive into this wild critique. Why do some journalists think DeBoer could learn a thing or two from the best roster-builder in college basketball? Buckle up—it’s a game-changing comparison.

Alabama journalist Tony Tsoukalas tweeted that Kalen DeBoer should ‘take notes’ from Bama basketball head coach Nate Oats. Why? Because of Oats’ bold move to sideline his star player during Alabama’s tense win over LSU. Here’s where the journalists might have a point. DeBoer stuck with Jalen Milroe all season, even when things went south—like during that brutal 24-3 disaster at Norman. Milroe threw three picks, one of them a pick-six, and Alabama’s playoff dreams were buried. Could DeBoer have benched Milroe? Absolutely. But he kept rolling with him, for better or worse.

Meanwhile, Nate Oats took a bold turn. Without hesitation, he benched his All-American scorer, putting the team before any egos. That’s leadership, no doubt. Oats benched Mark Sears, the SEC’s top scorer, after a brutal first half where Sears couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat. The gamble paid off. Oats brought in guard Aden Holloway, and Mouhamed Diabate sparked the offense, leading Alabama to an 80-73 victory. Talk about a game-changing move!

Sometimes, taking a new route pays off more than sticking to the old one. Now, with a new OC in place, will Kalen DeBoer take Bama to a whole new level? The clock’s ticking, and we’re about to find out!