LAWRENCE, Kan. – Jeff Grimes, a coaching veteran with 30 years of experience and more than 15 bowl games coached, has been named Kansas Football’s next assistant head coach/offensive coordinator, head coach Lance Leipold announced today.
Grimes is among the top offensive coaches in the country, having been named a finalist for the Frank Broyles Awards, awarded to the nation’s top assistant coach in 2021 while at Baylor and 2020 at BYU, and was named the 2021 Football Scoop Coordinator of the Year. While at Baylor, Grimes helped lead the Bears to the 2021 Big 12 Championship, while directing one of the most productive offensive attacks in the country.
“We’re excited to welcome Jeff, his wife Sheri and four children, Bailey, Jada, Garrison and Greydon to Lawrence,” head coach Lance Leipold said. “Jeff is a coach with a lot of experience and is a great relationship-builder, football mind and a high-quality person. He will be a great fit with our staff and offensive philosophy and is an exciting addition.”
“My family and I are thrilled to join the KU program and be a part of what Coach Leipold and his staff are building in Lawrence,” Grimes said. “I’ve admired Kansas Football over these last few years, and it has been impossible to ignore the momentum behind the program. That momentum doesn’t happen without strong alignment among tremendous people committed to a common goal. I get fired up just thinking about the opportunity to coach these talented players, and I can’t wait to get started. Rock Chalk!”
Grimes comes to Kansas after three years at Baylor, where he served as the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach. Grimes has extensive experience coaching the offensive line and has seen 17 linemen who have played in his offense since 2000 go on to play in the NFL.
In his first year at Baylor, the Bears saw drastic improvement as Baylor’s offense ranked 10th nationally with 5.37 yards per rush and 6.32 yards per play. Baylor increased its rushing production by 129 yards per game, compared the 2020 season, raising its rushing average from 90.3 yards per game (123rd nationally) to 219.3 yards per game (10th nationally).
Grimes was among five finalists for the Broyles Award for the second time in his career, while offensive lineman Connor Galvin was named the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year and running back Abram Smith ranked among the nation’s best in yards per carry (14th, 6.23), total rushing (5th, 1,601), and rushing touchdowns (tied for 39th, 12).
Baylor’s offensive attack continued to excel in 2022, ranking among the top-10 in program history in a several categories, including scoring the seventh-most TDs (34), while totaling the 10th most total yards (5,380) and first downs (296). In the air, Baylor ranked fourth-best in single season history, completing 63 percent of its passing attempts. Individually, Richard Reese shattered the program standard for freshman rushing yards, earning Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year honors.
Prior to his three seasons at Baylor, Grimes directed a high-powered offense at BYU in 2020 that finished its season ranked in the top-15 of 10 different statistical categories, including scoring (3rd, 43.5 ppg), total offense (7th, 522.2 ypg) and passing offense (8th, 332.1 ppg).
The 2020 BYU Cougars tied for the national lead in yards per play at 7.84, and led all of FBS in plays of 30 or more yards with 45. Overall, BYU scored 40 or more points nine times in 12 games.
Under Grimes’ leadership, BYU quarterback Zach Wilson was named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and Manning Award, as well as a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Maxwell Award and the Davey O’Brien Award. In 2020, Wilson passed for 3,692 yards, 33 touchdowns and posted a 196.4 passing efficiency. He finished the year ranked in the top-10 nationally in 11 offensive categories.
Led by All-American offensive lineman Brady Christensen, the BYU offensive line allowed only 12 sacks in 12 games, the eighth best per-game average in the country, and helped the Cougars to the fourth-most rushing touchdowns nationally with 34. Running back Tyler Allgeier rushed for 1,130 yards, the ninth-best total in BYU history and the eighth-best total by a FBS player for the season.
Overall, BYU had four offensive players named to All-America teams in 2020, including Wilson, Christensen, and wide receiver Dax Milne. Additionally, freshman tight end Isaac Rex earned Freshman All-America honors from The Athletic. Wilson (1st round, No. 3 overall, New York Jets), Christensen (3rd round, Carolina) and Milne (7th round, Washington) were each selected in the 2021 NFL Draft.
In addition to his time as a coordinator, Grimes has extensive experience as one of the country’s top offensive line coaches. Since 2000, 17 offensive linemen that played under Grimes have been selected in the NFL Draft including three first rounders (Levi Jones, Nate Solder and Greg Robinson).
He served as offensive line coach and run game coordinator at LSU from 2014-17. While in Baton Rouge, Grimes had three of his players selected in the NFL Draft to go along with nine earn All-SEC honors and four be selected as All-Americans (La’el Collins, Vadal Alexander, Ethan Pocic and Will Clapp).
LSU’s offensive line helped pave the way for four consecutive 1,000-yard rushers in each of Grimes’ four seasons. In 49 games as LSU’s offensive line coach and run game coordinator, the Tigers had at least one running back reach the 100-yard rushing mark 34 times.
Grimes spent one season as run game coordinator and offensive line coach at Virginia Tech in 2013 following four seasons as offensive line coach at Auburn from 2009-12 that included the program’s second National Championship in 2010.
During Auburn’s 2010 national championship season, Grimes’ coached an offensive line that helped set school records for total yards of offense (6,989) and points (577) for a second consecutive season. The Tigers were No. 5 nationally in rushing yards per game (284.8) and led the SEC in scoring (41.2). Auburn’s 2010 team set school records for rushing touchdowns (41), passing touchdowns (31), rushing yards (3,987) and had three offensive linemen earn individual honors.
Grimes also had successful stints leading the offensive lines at Colorado (2007-08), BYU (2004-06), Arizona State (2001-03) and Boise State (2000). He got his start in collegiate coaching at Hardin-Simmons (1998-99), and also served as a graduate assistant at Texas A&M (1996-97) and Rice (1995). Following the completion of his playing career, he coached at Riverside High School in El Paso (1993-94).
Grimes earned his bachelor’s degree in education from UTEP in 1991 and a master’s degree in education administration from Texas A&M in 1997.
