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Ryan Grubb explains why he left Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama football staff for Seattle Seahawks

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Ryan Grubb explains why he left Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama football staff for Seattle Seahawks


Ryan Grubb and Alabama football was a short-lived marriage — if you even want to call it that.

Almost one week after introducing himself at an Alabama event as the Crimson Tide’s new offensive coordinator, Grubb at an introductory news conference officially introduced himself to Seattle media, in the same role for the Seahawks.

REQUIRED READING: Who’s the genius, Alabama football’s Kalen DeBoer, or departed OC Ryan Grubb? | Goodbread

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Grubb on Thursday fielded an assortment of questions across different topics. Among them: why he decided to join new Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald’s staff after following Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Alabama.

He was never officially introduced as the Tide’s offensive coordinator, but was presumed to take the role after following DeBoer in previous stops at Sioux Falls (2007-09), Eastern Michigan (2014-16), Fresno State (2017-18, 2020-21) and Washington (2022-23).

“Thought about that process a lot of times honestly so just in this situation (this time) made it tougher,” Grubb said. “He (DeBoer) was getting it started at Alabama and I wanted to be there for him but I knew this is what ultimately I wanted to do if the right situation came up.

“The timing is so difficult to describe so I think that was the hardest part. … We knew this day would come and I’m excited for Kalen, he’s going to do a phenomenal job down at Alabama.”

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REQUIRED READING: Ex-Indiana boss Tom Allen details what Alabama football has in Kalen DeBoer, Kane Wommack

Grubb said he was in the mix for Macdonald’s offensive coordinator position when he traveled down to Tuscaloosa for the same role in DeBoer’s Alabama staff. But, because of uncertainty in that process with the Seahawks, he began his role and duties with the Crimson Tide.

“That’s where I was,” Grubb said. “Nothing was set here (in Seattle). Mike was going through his process and trying to make the best decisions he could for the Seahawks, so nothing was set and I had to keep moving forward with the job that I had taken an that was the Alabama offensive coordinator job. I had to trust the process and know that it would end up the right way.”

REQUIRED READING: Why Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer deserves immense credit in resecuring Ryan Williams

Grubb noted that his relationship with Macdonald began last year at the NFL combine in Indianapolis — when Macdonald was then the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator. He added that he didn’t think making the jump from the college ranks to the NFL would have happened as quickly as it did.

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“I met Mike about a year ago and started to build a relationship not with any necessarily ended mind but that is just how the process goes in the football world,” Grubb said. “I got to know him through a couple different conversations and built that relationship over time and kind of knew there might be the kind of opportunity like this down the line. Didn’t think it’d happen the very first year.

REQUIRED READING: UFL: Alabama football legend set to join St. Louis Battlehawks for a second season

He added: “This is like the unicorn event in coaching. The fact that I got to stay right here and (become an NFL coordinator) in a city, in a place that I already love … is special.”

Grubb also spoke on why he took former Washington and Alabama offensive lineman coach Scott Huff with him to Seattle.

“Continuity and translation up front is really important,” Grubsaid b on the importance of him adding Huff to the staff. “I’ve always felt like Scott was an NFL-caliber line coach and he’s had opportunities to leave in the past so to do it and have our system really helps the installation process and the beginning points for the teams.”

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University of Alabama police officer's family leans on law enforcement community after his death

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University of Alabama police officer's family leans on law enforcement community after his death


Dozens of people gathered on the University of Alabama campus Thursday night to honor University of Alabama Police Investigator Justin Beal, who died late Wednesday following complications of cancer. The vigil was originally scheduled to pray for his recovery, but turned into a celebration of life.



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New Alabama women’s basketball coach Pauline Love credits late mentor for coaching career

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New Alabama women’s basketball coach Pauline Love credits late mentor for coaching career


TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) – Pauline Love, the new head coach of the Alabama women’s basketball team, says her late college coach, Joye Lee-McNelis, is the reason she got into coaching.

Love played for Lee-McNelis at Southern Miss, describing her as a second mother. Lee-McNelis passed away last summer after a long battle with breast cancer.

A relationship that changed her path

Love said she once told Lee-McNelis she would never go into coaching, a conversation the two laughed about often.

“I used to tell her all the time, I would never do this. I would never put up with somebody like me or I would never work for somebody like her. I was like coach, you’re crazy. We used to laugh about it all the time and she was like you’ll see one day, you’ll see,” Love said.

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Love had planned to work in the tech industry. Instead, she has spent 15 years in coaching.

“She pretty much paved the way for me. There’s no way I’d be sitting here if it wasn’t for her,” Love said.

New Alabama women’s basketball coach Pauline Love credits late mentor for coaching career(WBRC)

High expectations at Alabama

Love returns to Tuscaloosa after previously serving as an assistant at Alabama. She was introduced as head coach in April, and was brought to tears when she mentioned Lee-McNelis during that introduction.

Her goals for the program are clear.

“I’m going to have a passion about it. I want to bring a Final Four to the University of Alabama and make Tuscaloosa proud,” Love said.

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This year’s roster includes Spring Garden’s Ace Austin, back for her sophomore season.

Love said she wants her players to know that difficult times are part of the process.

“I can say for them, I’ve been there. I’ve done it. Just learn how to figure out and fight through hard things. You gotta do something hard and fight through it and I promise you it’s rewarding at the end of it,” Love said.

Love said she also wants to be a source of support for her players off the court, the same way Lee-McNelis was for her.

“I know we always get caught up in the money part of it, but I got a group of girls that doesn’t care about that. They want to care about making the fans happy and giving them something good to watch,” Love said.

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Alabama football fans invited to pep rally at River Market

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Alabama football fans invited to pep rally at River Market


Alabama football fans are invited to a preseason pep rally Aug. 4 at the Tuscaloosa River Market.  

The pep rally is part of the annual fall kickoff event hosted by the Tuscaloosa County chapter of the University of Alabama National Alumni Association. 

The family friendly event will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the River Market, 1900 Jack Warner Parkway. Tickets, which include a barbecue dinner, cost $30 for adults and $15 for children ages 8 to 12. Children 7 years old and younger will be admitted for free.   

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The pep rally will feature live entertainment, a silent auction and a range of family-friendly activities. There will also be a cash bar with wine and beer. 

Tickets can be purchased on the chapter’s website, tuscaloosacountyuaalumni.com. Membership in the local alumni chapter is not required for attendance. 

University of Alabama President Peter Mohler and UA baseball coach Rob Vaughn will be part of the festivities. 

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Mohler began his duties as UA president on July 21, 2025.

Before being named UA president, Mohler spent nearly 15 years at Ohio State University, where he held senior leadership roles overseeing research, innovation and economic development. He also served as OSU’s acting president, providing leadership during a pivotal period for one of the nation’s largest public universities. 

Mohler earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Wake Forest University and a PhD in cell and molecular physiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Duke University Medical Center before joining the faculty at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. 

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Vaughn has been UA’s head baseball coach for three years, leading the Crimson Tide to the College Baseball World Series in 2026. 

The Humble, Texas, native served as head baseball coach at Maryland for five seasons before coming to Tuscaloosa.

Vaughn played collegiate baseball at Kansas State, where his position was catcher. 

Alabama begins the 2026 football season on Sept. 5 with a home game against the East Carolina Pirates. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. at Bryant-Denny Stadium. 

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Other Alabama home games include Florida State on Sept. 19, South Carolina on Sept. 26, Georgia on Oct. 10, Texas A&M on Oct. 24, Chattanooga on Nov. 21 and Auburn on Nov. 28.

Reach Ken Roberts at ken.roberts@tuscaloosanews.com.  To support his work, please subscribe to The Tuscaloosa News. 



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