Scott Huff started his new role far from his previous coaching job, yet an opportunity to remain in the Pacific Northwest and face a new challenge emerged.
The Seattle Seahawks have long struggled with their offensive line, often impacting their overall performance. Now, Huff, renowned for his work as one of the top offensive line coaches in college football during his tenure at Washington, is tasked with improving the Seahawks’ NFL line.
Seattle left tackle Charles Cross praised Huff, noting, “He really reminds me of my college coach. He’s very detail-oriented, brings a lot of energy, and is a great guy.”
With talents like Geno Smith, Kenneth Walker III, DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the Seahawks have the skill players needed for a potent offense. The key question is whether their historically problematic offensive line can become at least decent or even above average.
Huff’s challenge is to develop and lead a line that will help unlock Seattle’s offensive potential.
“I’m still pretty new to this, but I think the guys are eager to be coached,” Huff said.
Huff’s decision to stay with the Seahawks is significant. After Washington’s season ended with a loss to Michigan in the national championship game, Huff was preparing to move to Alabama to coach offensive linemen under Kalen DeBoer, who had just joined the Crimson Tide. Huff and his family had begun house hunting in Alabama when the opportunity with the Seahawks arose.
“I’ve been fortunate throughout my career, always happy wherever I’ve been—whether it was at Boise State, Washington, or my brief stint in Alabama,” Huff said. “Staying here made sense, especially since I get to continue working with Ryan Grubb, the offensive coordinator I collaborated with at Washington.”
Huff and Grubb had previously guided an offensive line that was acclaimed as the best in the country and won the Joe Moore Award. “Having another person responsible for much of the offense, including pass protection and run schemes, is vital. Huff has been a crucial part of that,” Grubb commented.
Huff’s decision to remain comes with high expectations to replicate his college success with the Seahawks’ offensive line. The left side of the line looks promising with Charles Cross at left tackle and veteran Laken Tomlinson at guard. The center position is bolstered by the signing of Connor Williams, provided he fully recovers from a torn ACL suffered last December.
