DeBoer, Grubb Address Possibility of Others Pursuing Them

Kalen DeBoer, seated at a table in front of an old team room used by the legendary and late University of Washington football coach Don James, was asked questions about plays, players and the next opponent, Oregon State.

In the midst of all of this in his regular Monday media briefing, DeBoer was quizzed about himself.

With his name automatically surfacing for the Texas A&M opening and no doubt others to come, the following question was posed to him: Are you in it for the long haul at the UW?

Now this is the downside to college football these days, where coaches are fired well before seasons have been concluded and others having success become involuntary candidates as others throw their names around and they get asked about their job commitments.

While there is really only one way to answer that sort of inquiry, no matter whether you're open to outside job proposals or not, DeBoer didn't flinch and mentioned reasons to stay put, such as his family connections that involve a daughter holding a Husky softball scholarship, and the UW's successful football image.

"This is a championship football program," said DeBoer, who has a fifth-ranked and 10-0 team in the running for all sorts of postseason possibilities. "I've said it from day one, it's got the bones of championships. Love the way we've been accepted into this place. It's a great place to coach."

Similarly UW offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb was posed with the same question, especially considering that Boise State fired its coach over the weekend and he would seem like a logical candidate for that Mountain West job.

A year ago, both Alabama and Texas A&M pursued Grubb to some degree to move laterally as an offensive coordinator.

Asked if he would talk to interested parties that might crop up seeking to speak with him, the coach deferred to his agent who acts as a buffer.

"I don't. I mean that sincerely, I just don't," Grubb said. "I have people who take care of that. Honestly, I'm lucky that way that I don't even have to think about it. I don't even think about it. I'm blessed because all I have to worry about is scoring points and getting touchdowns for Washington, and that's exactly what I'm focused on."

The reality is that the top teams, such as Texas A&M with its unlimited resources, make it difficult for people such as DeBoer and Grubb to simply dismiss them.

After all, the UW two years ago pursued DeBoer at Fresno State and hired him away for a more prestigious job and more money before the Bulldogs could even play their bowl game. Grubb wasn't far behind in joining him in Seattle.

What happens next is it's up to new UW athletic director Troy Dannen to renegotiate contracts and make it much more difficult for either football coach to entertain another offer, something DeBoer seemed to allude to as he sat where Don James once sat.

"Troy is trying do everything he can to help myself and the staff to continue the journey we're on," the UW coach said.

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