Seahawks fire OC Ryan Grubb after one season

[Bamabuzzard]

Did the staff ever effectively commit to the run and develop blocking schemes to make it more effective. Haynes was effective a year earlier to the degree that Roydell was essentially told he would not play this year. What was done obviously was to allow the QB to call his own number at the sake of developing a traditional running game. Now Haynes is gone and I would predict will have a good year with Michigan.

It's hard to say what would have happened. I can tell you the times we did attempt running you could guarantee Pritchett whiffing on at least two blocks every other play. Again, it's hard to say what would have happened when there were issues not only at QB but on the OL as well. Pritchett's bad Oline play tanked a lot of plays.

 

[bamajas]

I've been a head coach and play caller, granted not at Alabama. I get the pro's and con's of it more than you know. The fact he didn't take over play calling duties at some point this season or start out as the play caller to give Sheridan more time to get acclimated is a legitimate concern. One of my best friends took over a major program this past year and he was a first year head coach. He juggled all that comes with it but no one on his new staff knew the offense he wanted to put in like he did. He hired an OC that he had worked with in the past and they collaborated on game plans and what not, but at the end of the day he called the plays on game day. Eventually down the road he plans on giving that to his OC but not in year one. Just because it isn't ideal and what you want to do down the road, doesn't mean it isn't what you should be doing for now.

If he had called plays and was a little better, would it have shown up in the W-L column? I don't know. I can't imagine it making a giant difference (and we have no way of knowing what would've slipped aside in exchange)

But I can guarantee there'd be someone saying, "He took on too much responsibility by calling plays in his first year in such a major program."

 

[bamadwain]

Did the staff ever effectively commit to the run and develop blocking schemes to make it more effective. Haynes was effective a year earlier to the degree that Roydell was essentially told he would not play this year. What was done obviously was to allow the QB to call his own number at the sake of developing a traditional running game. Now Haynes is gone and I would predict will have a good year with Michigan.

Not saying Haynes will not be special, but he can't read blocks that's his main issue

 

[Coach D]

Could they (DeBoer and Sheridan) have done more to adjust? Yeah, I'm sure they could. I just argue that marrying themselves to Milroe severely limited any adjustments they could have made and it have any long-term difference. Teams had figured out how to stop Milroe. Stack the box, take away our running game, and begin to mix coverages to confuse Milroe and you had us. It's easy to say run play action but play action only works if you're running the ball effectively, which we couldn't. Our Oline was so inconsistent and Milroe had zero idea how to adjust protection pre snap.

When teams realize your QB can't read a defense, it severely shrinks the adjustments available for a staff to make. Again, the defense was shooting fish in a barrel.

You completely missed what I said. I did not say just go play action. Last two OC didn’t change much that was the point. Didn’t try getting creative with run game or even try running much other than Milroe. They chose him to play him at QB and didn’t want to go to strength other than running him. You can get creative with run game. See the barn for example. Oline was good past few years in center and guards for most part but tackles stunk. The OCs didn’t want to get out of their schemes much and force Milroe to throw and run.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

You completely missed what I said. I did not say just go play action. Last two OC didn’t change much that was the point. Didn’t try getting creative with run game or even try running much other than Milroe. They chose him to play him at QB and didn’t want to go to strength other than running him. You can get creative with run game. See the barn for example. Oline was good past few years in center and guards for most part but tackles stunk. The OCs didn’t want to get out of their schemes much and force Milroe to throw and run.

What do you mean by "getting creative with the run game"? It couldn't have been with RPO's because he had no idea how to read a defense to do a RPO the right way. It was why in 2023 all of his "RPO's" were predetermined.

 

[Coach D]

What do you mean by "getting creative with the run game"? It couldn't have been with RPO's because he had no idea how to read a defense to do a RPO the right way. It was why in 2023 all of his "RPO's" were predetermined.

Not close to RPO as everyone knows he couldn’t make decisions. You can scheme up runs and miss direction. Again look at the barn over the years. They almost beat Bama a couple times with a high school style offense running the ball. Pull guys, miss direction and commit to run. Just limit the Qb turning it over and if qb is on with his passing then give him more opportunities other than play action. Michigan another example but to the extreme. Running it’s straightforward X&Os, you can get leverage different ways and CKD already uses motion and pulling lineman.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Not close to RPO as everyone knows he couldn’t make decisions. You can scheme up runs and miss direction. Again look at the barn over the years. They almost beat Bama a couple times with a high school style offense running the ball. Pull guys, miss direction and commit to run. Just limit the Qb turning it over and if qb is on with his passing then give him more opportunities other than play action. Michigan another example but to the extreme. Running it’s straightforward X&Os, you can get leverage different ways and CKD already uses motion and pulling lineman.

I get all of that, but do you consider the lack of mobile linemen played a role in that? Currently, we just have BIG linemen, we don't have big AND mobile linemen. I know you watch games as closely as any of us and I know you saw many time we tried to pull linemen and they were either slow getting to the hole or never made it to the hole before the defender filled it.

We've GOT TO catch up with teams like Ohio St who not only have BIG linemen, but they're mobile. I don't think we can go smaller and more mobile, we've got to stay big but get more athletic. It's hard to do, but it can be done and with us playing in the SEC, it's going to have to be done.

 

[UAH]

It's hard to say what would have happened. I can tell you the times we did attempt running you could guarantee Pritchett whiffing on at least two blocks every other play. Again, it's hard to say what would have happened when there were issues not only at QB but on the OL as well. Pritchett's bad Oline play tanked a lot of plays.

I can appreciate that it is a very tough job for a lineman to block a linebacker or have the speed to pull and block in another a gap but failing to get at least a stalemate on a defensive lineman can only be called a failure. There has to be someone on the bench more motivated to block the run effectively.

 

[Coach D]

I get all of that, but do you consider the lack of mobile linemen played a role in that? Currently, we just have BIG linemen, we don't have big AND mobile linemen. I know you watch games as closely as any of us and I know you saw many time we tried to pull linemen and they were either slow getting to the hole or never made it to the hole before the defender filled it.

We've GOT TO catch up with teams like Ohio St who not only have BIG linemen, but they're mobile. I don't think we can go smaller and more mobile, we've got to stay big but get more athletic. It's hard to do, but it can be done and with us playing in the SEC, it's going to have to be done.

There’s no argument that OSU has better lineman on both sides of the ball but that was our center and we again have a top 5 center. Booker all SEC and Robert’s no slouch. I do have proctor burnt in memory trying to go out and extremely slow blocking no one on screens and things. You also had TEs can use for pulling and motion to make up for shower linemen. Add in things like pop passes etc. Not saying Milroe isn’t the main reason for bad play but the coaches didn’t help much as much as could have. They kept him as the center of the offense and didn’t try minimizing him and run the ball with RBs. Like I said the coaches don’t get let off when they had choices. They could have schemed a less QB centric offense, but chose not to and played a Qb they knew couldn’t read, adjust line or throw with any consistency. But like I said, I’m fine with keeping the same OC for this year really need a new o line coach and keep adjusting that area. Don’t think proctor is made for LT unless he physically adjusts but no better option at this point.

 

[CB4]

Rodney Orr on WJOX this morning said it would make sense for CKD to have had conversations with Grubb, given their close relationship. He also said that those around Grubb said “he knew he would be let go at the end of the season. The writing was on the wall”. However he is not personally aware of any recent conversations between Grubb and CKD and a future with Alabama. However, that doesn’t mean it won’t happen.

In terms of Scott Huff, the Oline coach, he is somewhat in limbo. What Seattle chooses to do with him depends on who gets hired as the new OC. Usually they will leave the decision with them as to retaining current personnel or bring in “their own people”. In the case of the former, Huff would need to decide whether staying with the Seahawks with the new staff is something he wants to do.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

There’s no argument that OSU has better lineman on both sides of the ball but that was our center and we again have a top 5 center. Booker all SEC and Robert’s no slouch. I do have proctor burnt in memory trying to go out and extremely slow blocking no one on screens and things. You also had TEs can use for pulling and motion to make up for shower linemen. Add in things like pop passes etc. Not saying Milroe isn’t the main reason for bad play but the coaches didn’t help much as much as could have. They kept him as the center of the offense and didn’t try minimizing him and run the ball with RBs. Like I said the coaches don’t get let off when they had choices. They could have schemed a less QB centric offense, but chose not to and played a Qb they knew couldn’t read, adjust line or throw with any consistency. But like I said, I’m fine with keeping the same OC for this year really need a new o line coach and keep adjusting that area. Don’t think proctor is made for LT unless he physically adjusts but no better option at this point.

I don't disagree that they could have done more, I just don't know how much difference "more" would have made in the W-L column seeing that they were hell-bent on keeping Milroe in the games. I truly believe Milroe was limited to only executing about 10-12 plays and add that to our inconsistent Oline play. I just know we have to get better at Oline and the QB position or we'll be 7-5 next season.

 

[Isaiah 63:1]

If I came off as I have 100% adopted this theory, I haven't. It is the offseason and topics are scarce...

With that being said, I'll reiterate it is a legitimate potential concern. Hopefully there isn't any truth to it, but we can't definitively say either way at this point.

Are you entering the portal?

 

[cdub55]

Are you entering the portal?

Can't tell if this is an attempt at being humorous or a shot at me but to answer your question, I sure hope so but wouldn't be my first time being shot down though if I don't...

 

[AlexanderFan]

I don't disagree that they could have done more, I just don't know how much difference "more" would have made in the W-L column seeing that they were hell-bent on keeping Milroe in the games. I truly believe Milroe was limited to only executing about 10-12 plays and add that to our inconsistent Oline play. I just know we have to get better at Oline and the QB position or we'll be 7-5 next season.

So you can call the plays, but if I call the plays they will suddenly work?

Sure thing

 

[cdub55]

If he had called plays and was a little better, would it have shown up in the W-L column? I don't know. I can't imagine it making a giant difference (and we have no way of knowing what would've slipped aside in exchange)

But I can guarantee there'd be someone saying, "He took on too much responsibility by calling plays in his first year in such a major program."

I won't speculate on the 'what-if's' of wins and losses and him calling plays. I just know that he chose not to and it lends itself to the question of 'why'. I do know he was hired under the premise that he is an offensive guru/genius and offensively we were anything but stellar this year.

As far as the damned if you do damned if you don't part, this is very true. The main thing to keep that from happening is to have success. When things don't look as they should and you choose a path, you better have a valid reason to why you chose that path and you better have a plan to fix what didn't work.

 

[Isaiah 63:1]

Can't tell if this is an attempt at being humorous or a shot at me but to answer your question, I sure hope so but wouldn't be my first time being shot down though if I don't...

A player entering the portal tends to pen a lengthy social media post, first going through a long list of all the things he appreciates about his current school, then, before the actual announcement, almost invariably writing, "With that being said..."

 

[bamajas]

I won't speculate on the 'what-if's' of wins and losses and him calling plays. I just know that he chose not to and it lends itself to the question of 'why'. I do know he was hired under the premise that he is an offensive guru/genius and offensively we were anything but stellar this year.

As far as the damned if you do damned if you don't part, this is very true. The main thing to keep that from happening is to have success. When things don't look as they should and you choose a path, you better have a valid reason to why you chose that path and you better have a plan to fix what didn't work.

Sure, I can agree with the final conclusion about having a valid reason. And playcalling (no matter who did it) is on the list from this season. We just might disagree with how high on the list.

It appears that CKD calling the plays would be a bigger departure from his recent history than allowing the OC to do it (and thus would demand even more explanation). "Consistent with my established values" is a pretty valid reason. That's not always the same as "how I've always done things."

 

[Coach D]

I don't disagree that they could have done more, I just don't know how much difference "more" would have made in the W-L column seeing that they were hell-bent on keeping Milroe in the games. I truly believe Milroe was limited to only executing about 10-12 plays and add that to our inconsistent Oline play. I just know we have to get better at Oline and the QB position or we'll be 7-5 next season.

I agree he was limited but if you minimize his chances to turn it over and in some of those games you take a pick 6 away or fumbles on bama side of field who knows. It doesn’t matter now though obviously.

 

[cdub55]

A player entering the portal tends to pen a lengthy social media post, first going through a long list of all the things he appreciates about his current school, then, before the actual announcement, almost invariably writing, "With that being said..."

To portal or not to portal, that is the question...

 

[Krymsonman]

I can appreciate that it is a very tough job for a lineman to block a linebacker or have the speed to pull and block in another a gap but failing to get at least a stalemate on a defensive lineman can only be called a failure. There has to be someone on the bench more motivated to block the run effectively.

A very long time ago, I was a left guard in high school. We had a few plays where I had to pull and kick out the DE on the other side etc, but sometimes I couldn't get there because I was running into the right side O-linemen who got pushed back. A stalemate would have been great because I at least could have gotten to the DE. You're right. On a run play, all of the linemen need to do their job and get a push.