One reason why Alabama keeping Nick Sheridan on staff is a much bigger deal to the program’s future than you realize originally appeared on A to Z Sports.
Alabama decided to make a change at offensive coordinator this offseason. After seeing Nick Sheridan replace Ryan Grubb on short notice heading into the 2024 season, Grubb has now been reunited with his longtime friend and boss in Kalen DeBoer.
Sheridan isn’t gone though. Instead, he’s continued working with the quarterbacks as their position coach, which has given Grubb the freedom to maintain more of a bird’s eye view on Alabama’s offense. It’s an interesting — and unorthodox — approach. You typically don’t see what many would consider a demotion on the major college level, but that’s exactly what happened in this case.
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“I’m really appreciative of the opportunity to coach at a place like Alabama,” Sheridan said at Alabama’s Media Day on Monday. “I love the players that are here, I get to chance to work with great coaches each and every day. I’m very thankful for that.”
The decision by both Alabama and Sheridan to stay connected is unusual, but it has created an intriguing dynamic. From a continuity standpoint, Ty Simpson and Austin Mack get to continue to work with the same play-caller from a season ago. And for freshman phenom Keelon Russell, one of the top coaches that helped get him to Tuscaloosa will continue to be on the staff.
Those are both big wins, and the Crimson Tide still managed to upgrade at offensive coordinator by bringing back DeBoer’s trusted sidekick in Grubb. Not only does Grubb have familiarity with DeBoer, but he’s also worked alongside Sheridan and wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard. There’s already a strong familiarity that helps with the transition.
“Outstanding. Ryan Grubb is a tremendous coach, but even more importantly, he’s a very close friend of mine,” Sheridan said when asked about Alabama’s new play-caller. “Every opportunity I’ve had to work with Grubb has been awesome. Our relationship from my end is outstanding. You should ask him and see if he likes me as well. I think he’s a tremendous coach, and he’s a great friend. Got a great family. Every opportunity we’ve had to work together has been a total blast and total joy.”
That’s exactly the type of response you’d hope to get from a coach who was just demoted. No sulking and no playing the “poor pitiful me” game. Just a guy who’s decided to put his head down and keep going to work. Apparently, that selfless approach from Sheridan has made for a seamless transition for everyone involved.
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“I love Coach Sheridan,” Shephard told reporters on Monday “We started our careers off together, my first year coaching and his first year coaching. It has been a seamless transition. That is a man of high integrity, low ego, no ego, and comes to work every day and gives his all every single day. Our quarterbacks are adjusting to him all day every day, and being able to have even more access to him. This has been a very seamless process.”
It’s a remarkable situation, when you think about it.
First, Alabama has DeBoer’s last five offensive coordinators on staff between Grubb and Sheridan. And with Sheridan, you’ve got a quarterbacks coach who has called plays for two Power Four programs in Alabama and Indiana. Then on the defensive side, DeBoer has his last three defensive coordinators in Kane Wommack and Chuck Morrell, who’s Alabama’s off-ball linebackers coach after being Washington’s defensive play-caller for two years under DeBoer.
Those are rare circumstances to find yourself in unless it’s the same coordinator, but DeBoer has somehow achieved it on both sides of the football. Not only that, but we don’t know how long Grubb will be on staff. Maybe he’s around for a few years, but either way, Alabama could already be grooming his eventual replacement in Sheridan. Working with the quarterbacks creates more opportunities to work closely with Grubb than when he was the tight ends coach under him at Washington.
We know DeBoer values being around coaches that he can trust. And who knows, we might also see it on the defensive side of the ball if Wommack ever elects to leave, as there’s plenty of familiarity with Morrell. Either way, the way things have played out has given Alabama one of the best coaching staffs in college football.
This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
