THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Seahawks doing all the right things so far

Seahawks fans are feeling grumpy.

Regardless of what anyone was thinking of Pete Carroll (mixed reviews since he’ll be 73 during the 2024 season) it was almost unanimous that this proud franchise could lure a head coach from the very top of the pile.

So.

Mike Macdonald?

Well, not a Hall of Famer (hell, he’s just a kid at 36), though at least he was coordinator of that terrifying Baltimore defense that perhaps could have hauled the Ravens into the Super Bowl.

OK, then.

John Schneider has earned folks’ trust, and if he’s putting his own GM job on the line with Macdonald, let’s go with him.

But an offensive coordinator who’s never been in the NFL?

And a D-coordinator (Aden Durde) from England?

What is this, a weird new episode of “Ted Lasso”?

Here’s a thought: Let’s all calm down and see what this new cast of characters is all about.

I can’t speak for you, but Schneider rates as roughly a 9 1/2 out of 10 for me — so honestly, I’m excited to see what this gang can show us.

Almost anything will be a surprise.

THE GUY with the most credibility in these parts is likely offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who held that same position under Kalen DeBoer at U-Dub the past couple of years.

You probably know this story (since it’s just teeny bit odd), but Grubb was heading off to run back the same gig with DeBoer at Alabama.

In fact, Grubb stood up in front of an Elephant Club meeting in Tuscaloosa and told the crowd, “Hi, I’m your new offensive coordinator.”

Less than a week later, he was very publicly enjoying himself at a pub in the Seattle area — pleased in the company of Schneider and Macdonald.

A new deal had been struck.

Despite the fact that he has zero job experience in the NFL (except for attending last year’s scouting combine, “just to learn what I could learn”), Grubb may fire up the locals simply because of the Huskies’ wild offensive success.

In his two seasons on Montlake, UW went 25-3 and, as you know, played for the national championship less than two months ago.

Here’s an oddity: The Michigan defense, the one that mauled Washington 34-13 in that title game, was partly put together by Macdonald, who took a two-year sabbatical from the Ravens for the 2021 season to go help John Harbaugh’s brother, Jim, in Ann Arbor.

So, how on Earth did that help on Grubb’s resume?

“Michigan had huge, tremendous, talented players, and that game was always going to go one way,” said NFL analyst Matty Brown.

“They just never gave Washington a chance to breathe — but apparently, Macdonald saw film of the Huskies ahead of time and thought, ‘This would be a really tough team to play in terms of preparation.’

“I get what he was seeing. Grubb’s offense was so well-coached, you didn’t pick up any silly mistakes, the coordination was really good — the way the line was married to the backs and receivers.

“That was a really good team. You could see the coaching. They just ran into a buzz saw.”

THERE’S another question about Grubb, however, and this one has to do with his success — not any sort of bump in the road.

In the past three seasons, he’s coached terrific quarterbacks.

In ’21, it was Jake Haener at Fresno State (where he also worked for DeBoer), and then came Michael Penix Jr.’s two spectacular seasons with the Huskies.

Haener is now with the Saints, and Penix Jr. will soon be a high draft choice when the NFL divvies up collegiate talent again this spring.

Besides being very, very good, these QBs are completely different.

Haener is 6-1 (maybe) and 201 pounds (maybe), he’s mobile and elusive, happy to throw on the run.

Or just run, period.

Penix Jr. is Mr. Accuracy.

He’s 6-3 and 214 pounds, and pleased to throw from a clean pocket with his feet set, thank you very much.

In other words, Grubb successfully coached two totally different types of quarterback in this recent stretch — but neither offense ran the ball very much.

It just wasn’t necessary.

“I believe in adapting to your players,” Grubb said. “I know (Macdonald) wants to have a physical team, and we’ll need to run the ball.

“The margins are thinner in the NFL, so you have to be balanced — which is different from college, where you can either run or throw, do whatever you like, if you’re just better than the other team.

“I’ve been lucky to have these special quarterbacks, and with outstanding receivers.

“But I’m excited to have a strong group and run it, too.

“Whatever it takes.”

You know what?

Seattle can live with that.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”