"Here for him whenever he needs me" - Kalen DeBoer makes his stance clear on adding Ryan Grubb to the coaching staff

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer finished his first season as retired coach Nick Saban's successor with a 9-4 record after losing in the ReliaQuest Bowl to the Michigan Wolverines.

DeBoer's longtime right-hand man, Ryan Grubb, who accepted the offensive coordinator's job at Bama last year before leaving for the Seattle Seahawks OC job, was fired three weeks ago.

During a news conference after Senior Bowl practice on Tuesday, DeBoer, who has had a long affiliation with Grubb, fielded a question about hiring him for his Alabama staff. He made his position clear in reply.

“We go way back,” DeBoer said. “Great friend of mine. Think the world of him (Grubb) as a football coach, obviously as a person too. And so, I know he’s working through his process, just kind of after what last season brought, so just gotta see what he does there and (I’m) here for him whenever he needs me. That’s always going to be the case.”

Ryan Grubb and Kalen DeBoer share a close bond

Ryan Grubb coached under Kalen DeBoer for 17 years before taking the Seattle Seahawks job last year. He started as the offensive line coach at Sioux Falls before being promoted to offensive coordinator by DeBoer.

Grubb followed DeBoer in the same capacity during his stops at Eastern Michigan, Fresno State and Washington.

When Grubb took the Seahawks job last year, during an appearance on the "McElroy & Cubelic in the Morning" show, DeBoer was full of praise for his former assistant. It highlighted the close bond they share despite the circumstances.

“Our offense and our system has really been built up over many years. I called it for 20 years from 2000 to 2019,” Kalen DeBoer said. “I had a great opportunity with Ryan Grubb, who was with me for a lot of those years from 2007 until then to really hand it over.

“I felt like taking over as a head coach was the right thing to do and I knew he (Grubb) was someone who I really trusted and obviously, that worked out over the last four years at Fresno State and Washington.”

When Grubb left the Crimson Tide, DeBoer promoted tight ends coach Nick Sheridan to the offensive coordinator's position. It was under his guidance that Alabama's offense ranked No. 42 in total offense and No. 56 in passing offense.

With his trusted lieutenant, Ryan Grubb, back in the picture, whether or not he will get the call from Kalen DeBoer to aid an ailing Crimson Tide offense remains to be seen.