UW offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb received a raise last month that set his salary at $1.45 million in 2023, $1.55 million in 2024 and $1.67 million in 2025.
It didn’t last long.
The Huskies’ first-year offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach recently received a second raise that will pay him $2 million annually through 2025, a department source confirmed Tuesday. That’s after the Houston Chronicle reported last week that Grubb was prominently featured on Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator wish list.
Grubb will soon become UW’s highest paid assistant in program history, surpassing former defensive coordinator (and eventual head coach) Jimmy Lake — who made $1.4 million in 2019. A Kingsley, Iowa, native and Buena Vista University alum, Grubb initially signed a two-year contract in December 2021 worth $1,020,000 annually. The performance incentives and buyout figures attached to his extension have not been disclosed.
Under Grubb and head coach Kalen DeBoer — whose own two-year extension, through 2028, was announced last month — Washington’s offense leads the nation in passing (376.7 yards per game), first downs (27.4 per game), third-down conversions (57.06%) and completions of 10 yards or more (182). The Huskies also sit second in total offense (522.2 yards per game) and fourth in scoring (40.8), nearly doubling their scoring average from 2021 (21.5).
“I think just our staff collectively — (associate head coach JaMarcus Shephard), (tight ends coach) Nick (Sheridan), (running backs coach Lee) Marks and (offensive line coach Scott) Huff — I think we work together really, really well,” Grubb said Monday, when asked about UW’s third down efficiency. “That’s what it comes down to. I think people get in rooms and guys have ideas and man, if you can get to the best idea and put the best thing out there for the kids, they can succeed. Things get pretty easy pretty quick. I think we’ve done a good job of that.”
Indiana transfer quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has certainly flourished in Grubb and DeBoer’s prolific attack — leading the country in passing yards (4,354) while completing 66% of his passes and totaling 33 touchdowns (29 passing, four rushing) and seven interceptions. The redshirt junior also claimed program records for single-game passing yards (516) and completions (36, twice) in his UW debut.
In doing so, sophomore wide receivers Rome Odunze (11 games, 70 catches, 1,088 yards, eight TDs) and Jalen McMillan (12 games, 71 catches, 1,040 yards, eight TDs) blossomed as well — becoming the first UW teammates to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in the same season.
Grubb isn’t the only key piece returning in 2023. Penix, McMillan and left tackle Troy Fautanu have each announced they’ll forgo the NFL draft in favor of another season in Seattle. Odunze’s decision is still outstanding.
Grubb and DeBoer worked together at three previous stops — the University of Sioux Falls (offensive-line coach and run-game coordinator from 2007-09), Eastern Michigan (offensive-line coach from 2014-16) and Fresno State (offensive-line coach and run-game coordinator in 2017-18, associate head coach and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in 2020-21).
That partnership continues to withstand outside interest.
And the extra money helps.
“My initial emotional response to being here [last winter] was that this place could be unbelievably special, not knowing really anything about Washington,” Grubb said last month. “Now, going through a full year of it and seeing the support of the community and the kids that are in this program, this place is incredibly special. So I’m excited to be here.”