The Wisconsin Badgers recently announced that Jeff Grimes has become the primary offensive coordinator target moving forward, sparking a large reaction.
The Badgers coach Luke Fickell previously stated the offense was aiming to return to a more “pro style” moving forward with the next hire. Fickell also alluded to the fact that the hiring was potentially supposed to be done already, however it appears as though the two sides are still negotiating. Now, Grimes has been revealed as the prime candidate as the Badgers continue to discuss a possible contract with the coordinator for the 2025 season and beyond.
Grimes would be a rather notable hire for the Wisconsin Badgers for two main reasons as the program confirmed two rumors. Previously, Wisconsin flirted with the idea of hiring a quarterback coach, and hiring Grimes would ultimately confirm that.
Grimes, a former offensive tackle himself, got his start in the coaching world as an offensive line coach and most recently served in that role in 2017 with the LSU Tigers. The coach has a deep background of coaching offensive linemen and tight ends at the college level, with little hands-on work with the quarterbacks. Grimes is however credited with the development of quarterback Zach Wilson during his second stint at BYU when the quarterback recorded 33 touchdowns and three interceptions in a season.
Another rumor the hire would confirm is the one regarding the potential of the Wisconsin Badgers returning to a pro style offense. Grimes served under coaches Frank Beamer and Les Miles, who both featured college-friendly versions of pro style offenses. Grimes has since reinvented the offense to fit his beliefs dubbing it the “RVO” which stood for “reliable, violent, offense.”
The offensive coordinator has taken pieces out of the playbooks of each coach, with the ground-and-pound nature of Miles with the motion and sweep options of Beamer. In his potential lone season in Kansas, Grimes ran the football 154 times more than the football was passed, averaging 5.5-yards per carry as a team.
The Wisconsin Badgers averaged 4.4-yards per carry this season and the leading rusher for the Badgers (Tawee Walker) recorded over 400-yards less than the leading Jayhawks rusher.
Wisconsin Badgers Fans React to Jeff Grimes News, Potential Hiring
While the Wisconsin Badgers program feels they have found the “guy”, much of the fanbase still seems unconvinced after the failed dreams of an air-raid offense. Some Badgers fans believe that Grimes can return the team to a punishing offense on the ground, but others seem to feel as though the coach will do the same things Paul Chryst did during his tenure.
Paul Chryst seeing Wisconsin hire Jeff Grimes pic.twitter.com/anh1q0k8Mj
— Scary Alvarez (@barryisthedon) December 7, 2024
Wisconsin fans, please do not search Jeff Grimes’ name on this app. Please trust your school has done proper vetting and it’s found their guy. https://t.co/YzF3CIjxGG
— Blake Schuster (@Schustee) December 6, 2024
“Reliable violent offense” – Jeff Grimes
Immediate chemistry between OC, Oline coach, and Brady F’in Collins. pic.twitter.com/UbslaqVAmd
— The Red Shed (@TheRealRedShed) December 7, 2024
Jeff Grimes was so bad that he is now headed to a solid Big Ten program.
Oh wait, he was actually pretty good here and everyone in the business knows that. https://t.co/31EzHp9aVj
— 𝓙𝓪𝔂𝓱𝓪𝔀𝓴 𝓣𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻 (@JayhawkTakeover) December 6, 2024
Some Wisconsin Badgers fans have argued that Grimes is a potentially bad hire because the best performers for Grimes were previously successful. Devin Neal was previously considered one of the top running backs in the country before teaming up with Grimes.
A counter example to Neal would be the development of tight ends Ben Sims and Drake Dabney during his tenure with Baylor. Grimes coached tight ends there for three seasons and sent Sims to the NFL after averaging nearly 30 receptions a season. Dabney had an excellent 2023 season with Grimes and took a huge step forward before transferring to TCU when Grimes left Baylor.
Badger fans commenting that Devin Neal ran for 1000+ plus yards in a Jeff Grimes offense. Devin Neal was one of the best RBs in the country, Grimes didn’t create those yards for Neal. I will wait to see how this hire plays out, but this looks really bad for Wisconsin
— North Endzone Sports (@NorthEndzoneWi) December 6, 2024
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