Seahawks Analysis: Grading Mike Macdonald's Coaching Staff Hires
Now closing in on three weeks on the job, new Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald has been busy assembling his first staff with eight assistant coaches officially announced and four others reported.
With Macdonald's staff in Seattle starting to take shape heading towards a new league year, how has he fared with his hires so far? Here are quick grades for each official and reported hire based on prior track record, experience, and overall fit:
Leslie Frazier, Assistant Head Coach
Grade: A-
In terms of hiring a mentor who has been through the rigors of being a head coach and defensive coordinator in the league and commanded the utmost respect from everyone they have worked alongside, Macdonald couldn't have done better persuading Frazier to join his staff over three other interested teams. Set to enter his 25th season as an NFL assistant, he has coached some of the stingiest defenses in the modern era, including leading the Bills to a top-two scoring defense in three of his final four seasons with the organization and six straight years with a defense in the top-10 in turnovers created. Without having to wear the play caller hat in Seattle, he will serve as an invaluable asset with a first-time head coach and three first-time coordinators who will need guidance navigating challenging new roles.
Ryan Grubb, Offensive Coordinator
Grade: B+
Lacking experience in the NFL in any capacity, Grubb stands out as the biggest unknown of Macdonald's hires and there may be a path to unmitigated disaster here if he doesn't adapt well to the pro game. But he's been a winner at every place he has coached at the college level and may have the highest ceiling of any of Seattle's new assistants. First cutting his teeth as an offensive line coach, his presence should immediately help a front line that has struggled in pass protection for much of the past decade. Also having an extensive background coaching quarterbacks and running backs, teaming him up with Geno Smith and a bevy of weapons such as Ken Walker III, DK Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett has a chance to be a lethal combination if he can successfully modify his scheme to attack NFL defenses.
Aden Durde, Defensive Coordinator
Grade: B-
While Durde hasn't been a coordinator in the league either, he has been ascending up the coaching ladder learning from Dan Quinn and Raheem Morris as an assistant with the Falcons and Cowboys over the past five seasons and achieved great success as a positional coach. In Atlanta, he coached a pair of 100-tackle linebackers in Deion Jones and Foyesade Oluokun, who has become a star in Jacksonville since a breakout 2020 season. In three seasons as defensive line coach in Dallas, Micah Parsons emerged as one of the NFL's elite defenders, Demarcus Lawrence made two Pro Bowls, and Osa Odighizuwa transformed into a viable starting defensive tackle under his watch. How that success translates to the coordinator role in Seattle remains up in the air, but he's another young coach with a diverse background and plenty of upside.
Jay Harbaugh, Special Teams Coordinator
Grade: C+
Spending the past eight seasons on his father Jim Harbaugh's staff at Michigan, Harbaugh built a name for himself with consistently stellar special teams units while also expanding his repertoire coaching running backs and tight ends. After helping the Wolverines win the National Championship last season, he's ready for a new challenge and has earned the opportunity, but he will have big shoes to fill replacing departed special teams coordinator Larry Izzo. From kicking to punting to coverage teams, the Seahawks have had one of the top special teams units in the league over the past two seasons and whether fair or not, the rookie coordinator will be expected to keep that group playing to that high level right out of the gate, creating plenty of pressure.
Jake Peetz, Pass Game Coordinator
Grade: B-
From a preparation standpoint, Peetz has worked for some of the best football minds, including two separate stints on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama and the past two years with Sean McVay in Los Angeles. He also has been an offensive coordinator for one of college football's blue blood programs at LSU, giving him as intriguing of a resume as any of Seattle's incoming coaches. With that said, his lone year in the SEC didn't go well with the Tigers finishing 80th in scoring offense and while he was involved with implementing new concepts into the Rams' scheme, McVay was still the lead cook, so this will be another opportunity for him to stand out in a key role assisting Grubb and potentially build his own coordinator case in the NFL.
Charles London, Quarterback Coach
Grade: C+
Previously playing running back at Duke, London has spent most of his time in the NFL coaching his natural position, including four seasons with the Texans and three seasons with the Bears. But thanks to his excellent football acumen, he transitioned into a quarterback coaching role with the Falcons in 2021, coaching Matt Ryan and Desmond Ridder during two seasons with the team. Joining the Titans staff last season, he oversaw Will Levis' first action as an NFL quarterback, as the rookie threw eight touchdowns in nine games. Considering his limited experience coaching the position, his hire may be met with some skepticism, but he has done a solid job with young signal callers in unideal circumstances.
Kennedy Polamalu, Running Back Coach
Grade: A
Coaching more than a decade in the college ranks before jumping to the NFL, Polamalu served as special teams coordinator at USC under Pete Carroll from 2001 to 2003. While his first gig in the league didn't go well in Cleveland, he showed off his coaching chops helping an aging Fred Taylor rush for over 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons in Jacksonville and later coached Maurice Jones-Drew to his first season surpassing the century mark. Always bringing out the best in his players, he has coached seven 1,000-yard rushers and helped Josh Jacobs win the rushing title in Las Vegas two years ago, which should make Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet psyched for the opportunity to learn from one of the best teachers in the sport.
Frisman Jackson, Receivers Coach
Grade: B-
After playing five seasons in the NFL with the Browns, Jackson quickly jumped into coaching at his alma mater at Western Illinois and worked his way up the ranks at several Division I programs before joining the Titans as a receiver coach in 2017. While he didn't have any 1,000-yard receivers in his lone season in Tennessee, D.J. Moore and Robbie Chosen each eclipsed the century mark under his tutelage in Carolina in 2021 and George Pickens surpassed the mark last season, taking a big leap forward despite a shaky quarterback situation. Jackson has shown the ability to develop young receivers and now will inherit the best receiving corps he has ever had, including having a chance to coach a rising star in Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Scott Huff, Offensive Line Coach
Grade: B
Sticking alongside Grubb after both coaches looked poised to join Alabama's staff, Huff has been highly successful at the college level, including coaching four players who earned All-Pac 12 honors in 2022. Two of those players - Troy Fautanu and Roger Rosengarten - could be early picks in April's draft. Like Grubb, he has never coached beyond Division I and he could have one of the toughest assignments of Seattle's new hires trying to coax better play out of a front line that struggled with injuries and inconsistent performance last season while also potentially breaking in two or three new starters in the interior.
Kirk Olivadotti, Linebackers Coach
Grade: A-
Coaching an All-Pro in De'Vondre Campbell and budding star in Quay Walker at linebacker, Kirk Olivadotti added to his legacy in Green Bay and now will bring his coaching talents to Seattle.
It will take some time to figure out who Olivadotti will coach next fall, as Bobby Wagner, Jordyn Brooks, and Devin Bush all will be unrestricted free agents in March. But based on his impressive track record, whoever the Seahawks sign and/or draft will receive top-notch instruction from one of the best linebacker coaches in the NFL. In his last stop at Green Bay, he helped De'Vondre Campbell evolve from mid-level starter into a First-Team All-Pro and first-round pick Quay Walker had a breakout sophomore season in 2023. He also previously coached London Fletcher and Brian Orakpo in Washington, so whether he's coaching Brooks, Wagner, Patrick Queen, and/or another newcomer, expect the group to be rock solid.
Karl Scott, Pass Game Coordinator/Secondary Coach
Grade: B
The only holdover from Carroll's previous staff set to return, Scott had a direct imprint as a defensive backs coach on the rapid development of cornerbacks Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon, who each finished as finalists for Defensive Rookie of the Year in successive seasons. He also furthered the growth of Mike Jackson and Tre Brown, who played respectable ball as starters over the past two seasons. As a pass game coordinator, Seattle jumped from 31st in completions and yards allowed in 2021 to 10th and 13th in those categories in 2022, but the defense regressed a bit last season. He shouldn't shoulder most of the blame for that, however, and his schematic knowledge will be fun to see mesh with Macdonald and Frazier.
Devin Fitzsimmons, Special Teams Assistant
Grade: B+
Bringing more than a decade of special teams coaching experience to Seattle with him, Fitzsimmons most recently assisted on Frank Reich's staff in Carolina, as the Panthers finished second in net kick return yardage. While he has never been a coordinator in the pros, he helped kicker Matt Prater and punter Andy Lee set franchise records in Arizona in 2021 and coached a trio of special teams Pro Bowlers in Detroit, including First-Team All-Pro returner Jamal Agnew in 2017. Offering the experience and knowledge to show Harbaugh the ropes transitioning from college to the pros, he's a savvy addition to offset the departure of Izzo.
