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Fresno State offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb to join coach Kalen DeBoer at UW

The Washington Huskies have announced their new offensive coordinator.

Ryan Grubb, who spent the past two seasons guiding Fresno State’s offense alongside new UW coach Kalen DeBoer — and has worked with DeBoer in stints at three programs since 2007 — will now join him in Seattle.

The first assistant to join DeBoer’s staff at UW, Grubb will be both the Huskies’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, the university announced Monday. Grubb also posted a farewell message to Fresno State on his Twitter account.

“I’m excited to welcome Ryan, Stephanie and Falynn to our football program,” DeBoer said in a statement. “In our time working together, Ryan has consistently produced highly effective offenses and, through his leadership, has excelled in developing young players. I know he’ll continue to do that here at UW, working with our quarterbacks and as the leader of our offense.”

Grubb has spent the past five seasons in Fresno as an offensive coach — including 2020 and 2021 with DeBoer as the head coach. He was the Bulldogs’ offensive line coach and run game coordinator for two seasons when he joined the staff in 2017, and elevated as the program’s offensive coordinator and assistant head coach in 2019 under Jeff Tedford.

The past two seasons with DeBoer leading Fresno State’s program, Grubb remained the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach while also coaching quarterbacks.

“I want to thank Coach DeBoer and Jen Cohen for the opportunity to lead the Huskies’ offense,” Grubb said in a statement. “I feel strongly that this can be one of the best offenses in the Pac-12. I’m looking forward to getting to know our players and this community, and getting to work for this historic and successful program.”

In 2021, the Bulldogs finished the regular season at 9-3, while their offense ranked among the best in the FBS.

Through their 12 games, they topped the Mountain West in total offense at 463.6 yards per game (which also ranked 14th among FBS programs) and yards per play at 6.36 (tied-31st in FBS), while finishing second in their conference in points per game with 33.6 (28th in FBS) and passing yards per game at 330.1 (ninth in FBS).

In Fresno State’s offense, quarterback Jake Haener — who has entered the transfer portal and could return to the Huskies after transferring away from UW ahead of the 2019 season, though he currently remains uncommitted — had a breakout season this fall, ranking eighth in the FBS in passing yards per game (317.5), tied-10th in passing touchdowns (32), 15th in passing efficiency (158.3) and 21st in completion percentage (67.5).

Grubb, along with DeBoer, is now tasked with revamping a Huskies offense that struggled to consistently produce during a season in which the program finished 4-8 and missed out on bowl eligibility for the first time since 2009.

UW averaged 21.5 points per game this season (tied-106th FBS), 323.4 total yards per game (114th in FBS), 4.98 yards per play (tied-113th in FBS), 225 yards per game passing (tied-72nd in FBS) and 98.4 yards per game rushing (124th in FBS).

Grubb played high school football at Kingsley-Pierson in Iowa, then went on to play Division III football at Buena Vista from 1994-97, where he was a running back and wide receiver.

He later coached at his former high school for two seasons before spending two seasons at South Dakota State from 2005-06 as a running backs and wide receivers coach.

Grubb joined DeBoer at Sioux Falls in 2007, where he was an offensive line coach and run game coordinator for three seasons before becoming the program’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for four more beginning in 2010. Sioux Falls won two NAIA titles while Grubb was with the program.

He linked up with DeBoer again at Eastern Michigan, coaching the offensive line for three seasons from 2014-16 while DeBoer was the program’s offensive coordinator.

Grubb joined DeBoer again at Fresno State in 2017, and spent the past five seasons there before joining UW’s staff.