Jeff Grimes

Jeff Grimes (born September 23, 1968) is an American football coach who is currently the offensive coordinator at Baylor University. He was previously the offensive coordinator at Brigham Young University (BYU) from 2017 to 2020, Louisiana State University's (LSU) offensive line coach and run game coordinator from 2014 to 2017, and the offensive line coach at both Virginia Tech in 2013 and Auburn University from 2009 to 2012. In addition, he was the assistant head coach, run game coordinator and offensive line coach at the University of Colorado from 2007 to 2008, BYU's offensive line coach from 2004 to 2006, offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Arizona State University (ASU) from 2001 to 2003, and offensive line coach at Boise State University (BSU) in 2000.
Playing career
Grimes earned four letters as an offensive tackle for the University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP) Miners from 1987 to 1990. He was coached by Marty Mornhinweg (QB coach), Dave Toub (strength coach), Andy Reid (offensive line coach), and Dirk Koetter (offensive coordinator). Grimes was not drafted into the National Football League (NFL), but had a brief professional career, participating in training camp with both the Los Angeles Raiders and the World League of American Football's San Antonio Riders.
Coaching career
Early career
Grimes began coaching in 1993 as a high school coach at Riverside High School in El Paso, Texas. After two years as the offensive coordinator and line coach there, he moved to the college ranks and started working as a graduate assistant under Ken Hatfield at Rice in 1995. He spent the next two seasons in the same position under R. C. Slocum at Texas A&M, while serving under line coach Mike Sherman, before receiving his first full-time college position in 1998 as offensive line coach at Hardin–Simmons, under Jimmie Keeling. The Cowboys were 21-2 during his tenure, averaged 39.4 points per game and reached the national semifinals in 1999.
Boise State
In 2000, Grimes was hired as the offensive line coach at BSU under his former college football coach, Koetter. Grimes worked alongside Dan Hawkins. In the season at BSU, Grimes’ offensive line helped the Broncos lead the nation in scoring offense and accumulate 175 rushing yards per game.
Arizona State
In 2001, when Koetter was hired as the head coach at ASU, Grimes followed him to serve as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator. Grimes had great success at ASU, with four of the 2001 seniors drafted into the NFL (just the second time that had been done at any school since the NFL adopted the seven-round draft format in 1993). He helped orchestrate a solid rushing attack, tutoring Loren Wade to break the ASU freshman rushing record while leading the Pac-10 in yards per carry.
BYU
In 2004, Grimes was hired as the offensive line coach at BYU, under head coach Gary Crowton. After Crowton resigned following the 2004 season, newly promoted head coach Bronco Mendenhall decided to keep Grimes on his staff. Grimes' 2006 BYU linemen blocked for the nation's fourth best offense, averaging over 465 yards per game including 141.9 on the ground, and were a large part of the Cougars winning the MWC Championship. BYU finished 11–2 and ranked 15th in the Coaches' Poll.
Colorado
In February 2007, Grimes was hired as the assistant head coach, offensive line coach and run game coordinator at the University of Colorado, under head coach Hawkins. Grimes and Hawkins had previously worked together at BSU and Grimes also served with Colorado offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich at ASU.
Auburn
In January 2009, Grimes was hired by new head coach Gene Chizik to coach the offensive line at Auburn.
After the 2010 season, Grimes was interviewed by Mack Brown to become the new offensive line coach at the University of Texas, where it was reported he would have become the highest paid coach at his position in the country. Ultimately, Grimes decided to stay at Auburn.
At the end of the 2012 season, Chizik was fired by Auburn, with former offensive coordinator, Gus Malzahn, hired as head coach on December 4, 2012. Shortly after being hired, Malzahn announced that all assistant coaches were being released, thus ending Grimes' career at Auburn.
Virginia Tech
On January 18, 2013, Grimes was hired as the offensive line coach at Virginia Tech under head coach Frank Beamer. Grimes was hired alongside offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler (also formerly of Auburn) and wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead (formerly of Stanford University).
LSU
In 2014, following Virginia Tech's 2013 bowl game, Grimes was named the offensive line coach at LSU, under head coach Les Miles, replacing Greg Studrawa. The news was unofficially released on January 15, 2014, and later confirmed by Virginia Tech's running backs coach, Shane Beamer.
BYU (second stint)
In December 2017, Grimes was named the offensive coordinator at BYU, under head coach Kalani Sitake, replacing Ty Detmer. During his tenure at BYU, Grimes developed BYU quarterback Zach Wilson, who threw for a career-high 3,692 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and 3 interceptions with a passer rating of 196.4 in 2020. That season, Grimes' offense ranked 3rd nationally in scoring offense (43.5 PPG) and was the leader in yards per play (7.84).
Baylor
On January 4, 2021, Grimes was named the offensive coordinator at Baylor under head coach Dave Aranda, replacing Larry Fedora.
Bowl games
Grimes has coached in seven bowl games: the 2000 Aloha Bowl, 2002 Holiday Bowl, 2005 Las Vegas Bowl, 2006 Las Vegas Bowl, 2007 Independence Bowl, 2010 Outback Bowl, 2011 BCS National Championship Game and the 2011 Chick-fil-A Bowl.
Personal life
Grimes graduated from UTEP in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in education, and earned a master's degree in education administration from Texas A&M in 1997, while serving as a graduate assistant. Grimes is married to Sheri Hermesmeyer-Grimes, a former Aggies volleyball player, and they are the parents of four children.
References
External links
Auburn Tigers bio
Colorado Buffaloes bio
1968 births
Living people
American football offensive tackles
Arizona State Sun Devils football coaches
Auburn Tigers football coaches
Boise State Broncos football coaches
BYU Cougars football coaches
Colorado Buffaloes football coaches
LSU Tigers football coaches
Rice Owls football coaches
Texas A&M Aggies football coaches
UTEP Miners football players
Players of American football from Garland, Texas