How Alabama Reacted to Nick Sheridan Accepting Michigan State OC Job

Ryan Grubb and Ty Simpson share their thoughts on the Crimson Tide quarterbacks coach heading to the Spartans, as he is "here to the end" of Alabama's CFP run.

Dec 19, 2025; Norman, OK, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan with quarterback Ty Simpson (15) against the Oklahoma Sooners during the CFP National Playoff First Round at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Alabama co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan was hired as Michigan State's next OC one day after the Crimson Tide's College Football Playoff first-round win over Oklahoma.

Sheridan had been the tight ends coach at Washington. Upon his arrival in Tuscaloosa, he assumed offensive coordinator duties after Ryan Grubb became the Seattle Seahawks' offensive coordinator. Grubb returned to Alabama earlier this year as the offensive coordinator, but Sheridan retained his role as the team's quarterbacks coach. He had initially been slated to be the Crimson Tide's tight ends coach before Grubb's move.

Grubb and Sheridan have worked in unison throughout this season, and their chemistry has helped lead Alabama's offense to the Rose Bowl in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal. Before UA faces No. 1 Indiana in Pasadena, Calif., on New Year's Day, Grubb shared his reaction to Sheridan landing the Michigan State OC position on Saturday.

"Nick's much more than a co-worker, he's a dear friend," Grubb said. "I mean that. He's just an absolute stud. In this profession, you know, you just celebrate the wins for the good guys, and Nick's definitely one of them.

"So I think for him, just being able to go take that next step, Nick has always been really, really good at building. I think that's what you see with great coaches, is guys that just take steps. They develop. They stop somewhere. They're with people. They grow, and they become even better coaches. And I think for coach [Pat] Fitzgerald, he got a great one.

"If there's somebody that's up in the office as much as me, it's Nick. He's always right there to talk about whatever we're going through. So he's been great. And I think his unwavering support, and just even from the beginning, when he first told me what was going on, one of the first things he said is, 'I'm here to the end, Grubb. I'm not taking the job until we go win this thing.'"

Naturally, if there's one player that the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach have collaborated with the most, it's Ty Simpson. The redshirt junior opened up about his relationship with Sheridan, and what his thoughts are on the departure.

"Certainly very proud of coach Sheridan ad what he's doing for himself, his brand and his career," Simpson said on Saturday. "He told the quarterbacks that he wants to call plays, and then going back to Michigan, of course his family is very, very important to him.

"I'm just super proud of everything he's done. He's very important to me. Not only as a coach, but as a player and a person, just because he's always somebody I can talk to whether it's about football or life in general. Super happy for him, his family and it means a lot to me and my career."

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