Grubb Hardly Impressed With Himself as Broyles Award Semifinalist

The offensive coordinator pointed to no points in the second half against Oregon State.

Ryan Grubb, University of Washington offensive coordinator, and two former Husky assistant coaches are among the 15 semifinalists for the Frank Broyles Award, given to the nation's top assistant.

Grubb, however, wasn't lobbying on his own behalf when informed on Monday that he'd made the cut to the next level for this accolade.

Asked what he thought about keeping elite company with his college football peers, the second-year UW offensive leader said, "Not much after getting shut out for a half at Oregon State. It kind of sucks."

Such are the high standards for a Husky football team ranked fourth in the AP poll, holding up a perfect 11-0 record and riding an 18-game win streak. 

For Grubb, it's fairly simply: with no UW points over the final 30 minutes in the 22-20 victory over  the Beavers, no way is he going to be impressed with himself and his growing coaching reputation.

That said, he's considered one of the 14 best assistant coaches and a Broyles semifinalist, joined by Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and LSU offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, a pair of coaches who previously spent time in Montlake.

Kwiatkowski. 57, served as a UW defensive coordinator in 2014-2020 for the Chris Petersen and Jimmy Lake coaching staffs before joining the Longhorns and Steve Sarkisian, the former Husky coach in 2009-2013.

Denbrock, 59, was the UW line coach for Tyrone Willingham in 2005-2008 and left when the entire staff was fired following an 0-12 season, the worst in school history. He joined Brian Kelly's LSU staff in 2022, reuniting with someone he had worked with at Notre Dame.

Grubb rates consideration because he oversees the nation's top passing offense, one that averages 358.4 yards per game, and also is ranked in the top 10 nationally in total offense (482.8; eighth), team passing efficiency (168.4; seventh), scoring offense (39.3; ninth) and fourth down conversion percentage (76.9%; fifth).

The Broyles Award is named for the former Arkansas head coach and ABC college football broadcaster who died in 2017. Broyles was known for developing high-level assistant coaches. Eighteen of the 23 selections for this award have gone on to become head coaches.

No Husky assistant has won the award; in fact, just one Pac-12 coach has been honored in USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow in 2002. Gary Pinkel, former UW offensive coordinator and Missouri coach, is one of the 15 members of the selection committee.

Others in the running for the award this time are Alabama OC Tommy Rees, Florida State DC Adam Fuller, Georgia OC Mike Bobo, Iowa DC Phil Parker, James Madison DC Bryant Haines, Louisville DC Ron English, Michigan OC Sherrone Moore, Missouri defensive-line coach Kevin Peoples, Ohio State DC Jim Knowles, Oregon OC Will Stein, Penn State DC Manny Diaz and UCLA DC D'Anton Lynn.

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