Kalen DeBoer, Ryan Grubb gave an answer for UW player charged with rape

SEATTLE — Although both are no longer with the University of Washington’s football program, former head coach Kalen DeBoer and former offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb have questions to answer about one of their former players.

The Seattle Police Department arrested 18-year-old Tylin “Tybo” Tamis Rogers on Friday around 9 a.m. near Husky Stadium in the 3900 block of Montlake Boulevard. Police said Rogers was booked into the King County Jail, and he was charged Tuesday with second-degree and third-degree rape.

Grubb said in a phone call Tuesday that he was not comfortable commenting on the case.

DeBoer’s media representatives at the University of Alabama and those of former Athletic Director Troy Dannen, who is now in Nebraska, did not return requests for comment about Rogers and if they were aware of the allegations when he was on the team.

Current UW head coach Jedd Fisch was made to answer for the allegations against Rogers on Tuesday, but court documents show the allegations were reported to UW during the 2023 season. Yet, Rogers ended up playing in both of UW’s College Football Playoff games. UW said Tuesday that Rogers has been suspended from all team activities.

According to court documents, Rogers met the first victim after matching with her on Tinder in August 2023. Rogers met her at her apartment on Oct. 23, ignored her pleas and forced her to do a sexual act for 10 minutes, according to court documents. Authorities said in court documents that the victim reported the rape on Oct. 28, and took a sexual assault exam at Harborview Medical Center.

Rogers met up with the second woman at her apartment between Halloween and Thanksgiving after matching on Tinder. She told police he forced her to perform sexual acts, despite fighting back.

The first woman reported the incident to UW and their Title IX Office on Nov. 28, police said.

Rogers was suspended from team activities in November 2023, according to authorities. The freshman running back did not travel with the team for its 34-31 victory over the Oregon Ducks in the Pac-12 Championship game on Dec. 1.

At the time, DeBoer did not explain why Rogers was suspended in December.

Grubb told Sports Illustrated on Dec. 15 that the team was “working through some things, some challenges he’s had off the field,” the court documents revealed.

Grubb wouldn’t answer KING 5’s questions Tuesday on whether he knew about the rape accusations when that video was recorded.

Grubb was hired as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks after UW’s season.

On Dec. 15, 2023, Rogers was allowed to return to the team, according to court documents, and he went on to play in the Sugar Bowl and National Championship game. Rogers recorded five carries for 19 yards in the Huskies’ semifinal win over the Texas Longhorns on Jan. 1 and rushed for two yards in the National Championship Game against the Michigan Wolverines on Jan. 8.

Officials said there were multiple emails within the UW Athletic Department confirming Rogers should be taken off the team’s travel roster for the Pac-12 championship game, but there was no documentation of reasons for the move. The freshman running back was allowed to appear in the Huskies’ two College Football Playoff games a month later, however.

“The timeline of (victim’s initials) social media posts as well as Rogers’ suspension led me to believe there is a connection between his suspension and her disclosure of the assault, especially after the comments made by the coaching staff in the media release,” wrote one of the investigating officers in the probable cause determination.

KING 5 has not reviewed the emails mentioned in court documents, and it is not confirmed as to what the rationale was for why officials didn’t want Rogers on the travel roster for the Pac-12 Championship Game.

However, social media posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Reddit indicate that many UW fans were aware of the allegations posted by one of the victims on social media at the end of November. In Reddit posts titled “Tybo Rogers rumors,” multiple fans discussed that Rogers had been accused of sexual assault.

Rogers entered the transfer portal in January after DeBoer and Grubb left, per college football website 24/7 Sports. Rogers was recruited by Grubb and DeBoer, when he signed with the Huskies in December 2022. However, Rogers pulled himself out of the portal 10 days later, on Jan. 29. This indicates Rogers at least had a conversation with Fisch and his staff about continuing to play at UW for the 2024 season.