The Seattle Seahawks hoisted the Lombardi Trophy after a commanding win in Super Bowl LX, and they did it with a new-look offense that turned heads across the league. The most intriguing part? They made the leap with a fresh pairing at two of the most critical positions in football: offensive coordinator and quarterback.
After parting ways with Ryan Grubb following just one season, the Seahawks handed the keys to Klint Kubiak and rolled the dice with Sam Darnold under center. That gamble paid off in the biggest way possible - a championship. And now, that outcome is echoing far beyond the NFL, all the way to Tuscaloosa, where Alabama fans are asking some tough questions about their own offensive direction.
Grubb, now Alabama’s offensive coordinator, oversaw a Crimson Tide offense in 2025 that struggled mightily on the ground - a familiar storyline for those who followed Seattle in 2024. That Seahawks team ranked 28th in the league in rushing yards per game.
This year? They surged to second in the NFL.
That kind of turnaround, coinciding with Grubb’s departure, hasn’t gone unnoticed in SEC country.
In 2025, Alabama’s rushing attack was one of the least productive in the conference. The Tide finished 15th in the SEC in rushing yards per game - a stat that’s hard to digest for a program that once prided itself on dominating the trenches.
It’s been a few years since Alabama last brought home a national title, and the fanbase is feeling the weight of that drought. Watching a team that dismissed Grubb go on to win it all only adds fuel to the fire.
There’s no sugarcoating it - pressure is mounting in Tuscaloosa. The 2026 season is shaping up to be a defining one for both Grubb and head coach Kalen DeBoer.
Alabama has already started making changes, beginning with the offensive line. Chris Kapilovic is out as OL coach, replaced by Adrian Klemm, a move that signals a desire to get nastier and more effective up front.
The line itself is getting a major overhaul, with four - possibly five - new starters expected to take the field.
The running back room is wide open. Daniel Hill, AK Dear, and Kevin Riley return with experience, but they’ll be pushed by incoming freshman Ezavier Crowell. It’s a clean slate, and the competition should be fierce - but the scheme and line play will ultimately determine whether this group can get Alabama back to its power-running roots.
So far, the bulk of the blame has been placed on the offensive line and its former coach. But if the run game sputters again in 2026, that spotlight is going to shift directly onto Grubb.
Fair or not, fans are already drawing lines between Seattle’s post-Grubb success and Alabama’s recent struggles. If there’s no improvement, the noise will only get louder.
Zooming out, this is a pivotal moment for the DeBoer era. Alabama doesn’t tolerate mediocrity, especially in the trenches.
The program’s identity has long been built on physical dominance, and right now, that identity feels like it’s slipping. The urgency is real - not just from the fans, but likely within the building too.
Coaches know the standard in Tuscaloosa, and they know what happens when it’s not met.
The run game isn’t just a box to check - it’s the foundation. If Alabama can’t reestablish that in 2026, the questions won’t stop at the offensive coordinator. They’ll go all the way to the top.