The 'Grimy' Game: The Faults of Kansas's Jeff Grimes

© Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal

The Kansas Jayhawks are 1-4. After what was supposed to be a banner year where the Jayhawks were

supposed to compete for a Big 12 Conference title, the result five games in has been less than

satisfactory, to say the least.

This has left Kansas supporters searching for answers. Nobody expected this and it has left a sour taste

in the mouths of the Kansas faithful. There are many factors that these failures are being attributed to.

The late game management, quarterback Jalon Daniels not seeming like who he used to be, the defense

not holding when it matters the most. One specific factor, though, has been pointed out the most. That

factor is new co-offensive coordinator and associate head coach Jeff Grimes.

The History of Jeff Grimes

Grimes came to Kansas at the beginning of this year. He replaced former co-offensive coordinator and

associate head coach Andy Kotelnicki, who left for the Penn State Nittany Lions in November of last

year. Grimes was expecting to keep the high-powered Kansas offense going, after all, the talent and skill

of this experienced group of upperclassmen showed a ton of promise.

Kansas had the No. 17 ranked offense in the nation in 2023, with the No. 8 ranked rushing offense.

Given Grimes’s past prowess in the run game specifically, it seemed to be a match made in heaven, as quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski seemingly complemented Grimes with his high-powered passing attack.

However, one critical thing fell through the cracks when looking at this hire. That was Grimes’s tenure

as offensive coordinator at both the BYU Cougars and Baylor Bears. While the experience in the Big 12

looked nice on paper as a two-time Broyles Award finalist, there needs to be a bit more skepticism in

looking at Grimes’s tenures.

While BYU saw success in 2020 during the COVID-shortened year, that’s pretty much the only year

Grimes’s offense saw any notable success. It wasn’t the only part of the program that saw success that

year either. The BYU defense finished that season No. 4 in total defense along with BYU finishing with

the No. 3 scoring offense and No. 1 in yards per play. While those numbers are impressive, BYU was

brimming with talent in 2020 and had a weaker schedule.

Every other year of Grimes’s tenures outside of 2020 saw offenses that produced just enough at best to

offenses that saw heavy regression at worst. One thing you cannot lack in college football is consistency and Grimes seems to lack that in terms of offensive performance. This is why the year 2020 for Grimes, to be frank, can be chalked up as an anomaly, as it normally is with respect to the world at large.

Take his Baylor tenure, though, for reference on his biggest faults as a coordinator. While, yes, his 2021 offense ranked No. 40, the 2021 Baylor defense ranked No. 10 in total defense, which was the big reason that the team went 12-2. BYU’s offense was actually better than Baylor’s in 2021, ranking No. 28 even after losing Zach Wilson and leading receiver Dax Milne. Yet, somehow Grimes was credited as an "offensive genius" and was up for the Broyles Award that season.

Baylor had the No. 38-ranked offense (moving just two spots up) at 413.8 yards per game in 2022, even

though they had a roster full of returning players. In 2023, after only some of those veteran players

left, Baylor fell from an above-average offense to the bottom of the barrel, ranking No. 101 and

averaging 377.8 yards of total offense. They had the talent to be good, but it wasn’t to be due to the lack of innovation, consistency, efficiency and development. Baylor finished 3-9. Grimes was promptly fired.

That type of drastic regression doesn’t happen when teams have good offensive development and

scheming, see many successful Big 12 football programs with average and even below-average defenses. Sustained, consistent success starts with sustained, consistent coaching. Grimes runs some of the most basic and predictable plays seen at the FBS level and while that can be passable at times especially with big-time talent.

When teams have the time and all adequate resources to prepare, it can leave a team at a severe disadvantage. Consistent doesn't equate to this in this respect, but rather the ability to constantly be adjusting.

Grimes has an overall predictable and bland repertoire that hasn't adjusted much, if at all, during his coaching career. He runs the same plays just to opposite sides thinking that will trick a defense, has no real movement in any audibles and fails to utilize the talents of the skill players that he has. Good coordinators can build something great with what they have, they develop players and come up with new ideas to keep up with the Joneses.

Grimes does not do this and it shows. He relies far too heavily on college-age players to go be great every snap and refuses to make any necessary changes that give them the best chance to succeed.

Grimes has proven he isn’t the guy for the job because of his proven failures to utilize talent, draw up trump card plays and manage a game, which is why he was let go from Baylor and why he’s heading toward a breakup with Kansas as well. He has gone 2-17 in his last 19 FBS matchups and has overseen some of the worst offensive production in the FBS.

Why he was ever thought to be the guy to keep a promising Kansas offense afloat is bewildering, given he plunged Baylor and didn't really do much of anything at BYU other than ride coattails.

The Culture of Jeff Grimes

The lack of progress, development and success even with experience and talent on the roster is not the

only thing to note with Grimes. The factor of the culture Grimes has built with his tenures is

something of concern as well. Grimes likes to play the blame game when things aren’t going well with

his offense and seems to lack any accountability for himself.

After a seemingly blown couple of play calls in the last minute, Grimes had this to say about the final

offensive play ran after BYU’s last-minute loss against the Boise State Broncos.

“I like the play design. I think it was the right call. There was poor protection. We missed a block.

However, that ball should have been gone by then. It was supposed to be a really quick throw, and

Wilson should have let the ball go.” Grimes told Jay Drew of the Salt Lake Tribune.

Shown above is what happened during that final minute. Basic, predictable play-calling that led to all the

pressure being put on the players on that final play that Grimes mentions in his news conference

answer. Games most of the time don’t come down to one play, and if it were managed well, that should

have been a touchdown or BYU would not be in that situation. Grimes refused, however, to take any blame for the poor play calls that led up to that moment, something that has seemingly been a trend with him even now with Kansas.

What’s perplexing, though, about this quote shown above from R1S1's Matt Tait, is that while play certainly hasn’t been ideal, it has seen noticeable improvement over five games. What has not improved, however, is the late-game offensive management and the overall offensive decision-making, something that falls on Grimes to improve upon. Calling a short slant play on third-and-15 with 4 minutes left and a lead, run plays on third-and-long when the team desperately needs a first down and a host of other blunders have been a major part of the story, yet nothing has been said regarding the decisions being made.

Not only has Grimes lacked accountability for his play-calling, though, but also his relationship with

players.

“I think my strongest gifts are being able to be down there in person, get a feel for the game, looking at

players’ eyes and see if he needs a challenge or a hug,” Grimes said to the Kansas City Star’s Shreyas

Laddha.

Yet, even after having a “productive” meeting with players and eventually agreeing to switch spots with

Zebrowski from on the field to in the box, Grimes still finds himself throwing players under the bus for

this team's shortcomings. The one shred of accountability Grimes has had so far this season was telling reporters he has to give Devin Neal and Daniel Hishaw the ball more in crunch time. Perhaps the most obvious answer you can give when both running backs average over 6 yards a carry and are your more or less best players. Who would have thought about that?

The blaming of players has shot his quarterback’s confidence, turned players and fans against him and has overall left a negative impact. If Grimes’s strengths truly lie on the field amongst the players, then why is he so avoidant of his shortcomings and so ready to blame players when things go wrong? Why is he willing to claim that they haven't hit rock bottom yet but not willing to take it upon himself to drive optimism? The writing is on the wall and it doesn’t look good.

These are not the strengths of a leader of men, plain and simple. This promotes a toxic culture that can

kill programs and their progress, and for Kansas, that could not have come at a worse time. If Grimes is

truly all in on this program, then he must look inward and understand that he needs to share his fair

share of the blame. Grimes needs to take a look in the mirror.

Time for a Change?

This program was shooting upward into a “new era," an era that was supposed to see Kansas football

turn into a juggernaut. A coach that has the history and culture record of Grimes should not have been

the answer for a program wanting to take that next step into greatness and he has proven that his

history and culture impact precede him. If Grimes continues to avoid accountability, continues to run

the offense with little changes done and continues to not take the steps to be not only a better coach,

but a better leader, then Kansas must let him go.

It seems like he believes himself to be a "misunderstood genius," when in all reality he's more like an old man set in his ways, with the entitlement and expectation of those around him to adjust to his needs. What really needs to happen is Grimes needs to adjust to the needs and skills of the players.

There are better options available that are better culture fits for the Kansas program’s direction though, options that Kansas should capitalize upon, at the very least, at the end of the season. Grimes does not seem keen on trying to fit a winning culture, given many of his comments and the way Kansas has fallen apart late in games when they didn't use to.

The health and future of the program might depend on them making a switch at Grimes’s position, and

while he may not be the only glaring issue this program has at the moment, he has proven to be the

biggest eyesore thus far. If Lance Leipold wants to see his program sustain success, he must go with a staff that has the proven ability to do so. Grimes has proven he does not have this ability, along with other key abilities to be a Power Four offensive coordinator. No adjustments, no explosiveness, no development and no accountability. Such is the story with Grimes to this point.