Alabama Football taps Ryan Grubb as the new offensive coordinator, bringing a wealth of experience from his previous stints at Washington and Fresno State. This appointment sparks a discussion about the greatest offensive coordinators in Crimson Tide history, including legendary figures like Mal Moore, Homer Smith, and Jim McElwain.
Ryan Grubb , the new offensive coordinator for the Alabama Crimson Tide, is a familiar face to the program. He previously held the same position for a brief period about a year ago, although he never coached in a game or attended a formal practice. Grubb then left for Seattle after initially agreeing to join head coach Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa. He was later replaced by Nick Sheridan, who, like Grubb, had worked under Saban at Washington.
Grubb brings a wealth of experience to the Crimson Tide, having achieved great success with offenses led by quarterbacks such as Michael Penix at Washington and Jake Haener at Fresno State. Now, he faces the challenge of maximizing an Alabama offense that struggled at times in 2024 with Jalen Milroe at quarterback. Milroe has since moved on to the NFL, leaving promising offensive weapons like receivers Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard and running back Jam Miller. While junior Ty Simpson is expected to be the starting quarterback in 2025, sophomores Austin Mack and the highly-touted five-star freshman Keelon Russell could also vie for the position. The hope is that Grubb can transform Alabama's offense into one of the nation's best, reminiscent of his time at Washington. If successful, he'll quickly earn a special place in the hearts of Alabama fans. However, Grubb's appointment raises the question: Who is the greatest offensive coordinator in Alabama football history?Here's a short list of some of the most successful offensive minds in Crimson Tide history (in chronological order):Mal Moore, shown here with head coach Paul 'Bear' Bryant and quarterback Walter Lewis in 1981, was Alabama's quarterbacks coach and primary play-caller from 1971-82 and 1990-93. Including his time as a player and athletics director, he was part of 10 national championships with the Crimson Tide. (Birmingham News file photo by Tom Self)Moore holds a unique distinction as the only person on this list to be an Alabama graduate. He served as a backup quarterback for the Crimson Tide under coach Paul “Bear” Bryant in the early 1960s. After a brief stint at Montana State, he returned to his alma mater as a graduate assistant in 1964. Moore transitioned from a defensive backs coach (1965-70) to the offensive side of the ball as quarterbacks coach just as Alabama was implementing the wishbone offense in 1971. He remained on the staff until Bryant's retirement after the 1982 season, leading Crimson Tide offenses that dominated the SEC, leading the conference in scoring eight times in 10 years from 1971-80 (the 1973 team set a conference record that still stands by averaging 366 rushing yards per game). Moore later returned to Alabama on Gene Stallings’ staff, contributing to the Crimson Tide’s 1992 national championship. While he didn't officially hold the title of offensive coordinator for most of his tenure, Moore was Alabama’s primary game-planner and play-caller on offense. As a player, assistant coach, and later athletics director who hired Nick Saban, Moore was a part of an incredible 10 national championships. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 73.Homer Smith, Alabama's offensive coordinator in 1988-89 and 1994-95, is widely considered one of the top offensive minds in college football history. (Birmingham News file photo)Smith, renowned for his intelligence and innovation, had two separate two-year stints at Alabama, one under Bill Curry and another under Gene Stallings. He also served as head coach at Army and offensive coordinator three different times at UCLA, where his Bruins achieved an impressive feat of winning the Rose Bowl three times in four years with three different quarterbacks. Smith's 1989 Alabama offense was one of the most efficient in school history, leading the SEC in both total offense and scoring. He returned to Tuscaloosa six years later following his third stint at UCLA and helped the Crimson Tide to a 12-1 record while developing quarterback Jay Barker into a Heisman Trophy finalist. However, Smith's West Coast offense didn't align well with Stallings' more conservative approach, leading to his dismissal after the 1995 season. He spent his final two years coaching (1996-97) at Arizona before retiring to Tuscaloosa. Smith died in 2011 at the age of 79.Jim McElwain, shown here with quarterback Greg McElroy in 2009, was instrumental in two national championships as Alabama's offensive coordinator. (Birmingham News file photo by Mark Almond)After running the offense at Fresno State in 2007, McElwain was brought in by second-year Alabama coach Nick Saban to help maximize the potential of quarterback John Parker Wilson. He succeeded, guiding the Crimson Tide to an SEC West championship in 2008. Though defense propelled Alabama to national titles in 2009 and 2011, McElwain's 2009 offense featured Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, and the 2011 offense led the SEC in rushing with 214.5 yards per game. (The Alabama offenses in 2011 and 2012 — the latter directed by Doug Nussmeier — boasted arguably the most dominant offensive lines in program history.) McElwain is the only Crimson Tide offensive coordinator of the Saban era to be part of multiple national championships
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE RYAN GRUBB OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL NICK SABAN MAL MOORE HOMER SMITH JIM MCELWMAIN
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