Paul Finebaum names which Alabama coach must leave Kalen DeBoer's crew after shaky season

The Kalen DeBoer era in Tuscaloosa began this past season with a 9-4 record, Alabama's most ordinary since 2007. It wasn't going to be a cake walk to replace coaching icon Nick Saban at Alabama, but DeBoer has his work cut out for him going forward with the Crimson Tide.

DeBoer has switched up his coaching staff some, prompting a prominent voice to wonder whether it would be best if one assistant in particular showed himself the door.

"I don't know Nick Sheridan, but once you get removed as the OC, you're better off going somewhere else," Paul Finebaum said this week on his radio show.

Sheridan served as Kalen DeBoer's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, designing an attack that ranked 42nd in the nation. The Crimson Tide added Ryan Grubb as their offensive coordinator last week. Sheridan has stuck around with Alabama, however. He was previously DeBoer's tight ends coach at his previous stop.

Why Kalen DeBoer is going with Ryan Grubb

Grubb had previously worked in the same position for DeBoer at Fresno State (2020-21) and Washington (2022-23). The two are very familiar, having first been on the same staff at the University of Sioux Falls.

Grubb was the Seattle Seahawks' offensive coordinator this past season. His offense there was statistically pedestrian, ranking 18th in scoring and 14th in total yardage and yards per play. With Geno Smith operating the attack, the Seahawks had the eighth-most passing yards, but ranked 28th in rushing yards.

"Now, you may think to yourself, 'Why am I watching a replay of a show from last year? Because this happened last year, didn't it?'" CBS Sports' Josh Pate said last Sunday on his podcast. "Kalen DeBoer got hired at Alabama, and then Ryan Grubbs coming along with him, and then he went to Seattle, so this must be a replay.

"Well, it kind of feels that way. ... We're gonna try it again. We're gonna spin the wheel again and we're gonna try Ryan Grubb (as) offensive coordinator at Alabama."

Pate pointed out that DeBoer's job was made harder right away by the fact that he couldn't pull players from the transfer portal, but some of the roster he interited decided to leave. Players that bolted included safety Caleb Downs and quarterback Julian Sayin, who are both at Ohio State now.

"It was one of the first times that we've seen, in the modern portal era, a coach get hired, even at a major program, and both his hands are tied behind his back," Pate said.

Grubb leaving didn't make it any easier on Kalen DeBoer. Maybe with his return, the two will boost Alabama to success.