JB Grimes hired as new OL coach

[metafour 4,976]

Outside of Herb Hand (who would have also fallen into Malzahn's "coaching circle"), what OL coach do you think he should have gone after but didn't that would be a good fit for this offense?

All I can state is what I have been told. I am not a college coach...to expect me to seriously state who I think he should have looked at is absurd. Malzahn on the other hand is a college coach. He also happens to be the Head Coach at a top-tier football program that is going to pump him with enough resources to pull guys that are more than just retreads. It is Malzahn's job to do his homework and find the best that he can find. I assure you that Herb Hand and JB Grimes aren't the only two OL coaches in the country who can deliver what Malzahn's offense needs.

And for anyone interested, I just got word that Hand turned us down about three times.

[leglessdan 1,934]

I have never seen such a group of most bitchingest and unsatisfyable people in my life until I joined this forum. I still don't understand why every single hire has to be a household name. Another thing is we haven't even played a snap of football with this coaching staff and some of us are already mailing it in. It's pretty pitiful and childish.

[PoetTiger 1,901]

As long as he can teach these kids to play hard and block I could care less...One thing for sure he has some talent to work with.........

[GoBull367 0]

I, for one, am glad Gus hired a guy that is a stickler for the little things and loves teaching fundamentals and technique. Is there a way we can get this guy to coach EVERY position??

I just hope Gus isn't putting together the BBQ Gang 2.0 at Auburn.

One coach he's known for years (Lashlee). The other coached one season under him at Arky State (Grimes). Exactly how does that bring up worries of BBQ Gang 2.0?

You forgot the Strength and Conditioning coach as well. Let's see, three out of five coaches hired are from Arkansas State. I see every reason someone has to be worried. I'm not worried, however, because I know Gus and his staff want to win more than they want to eat BBQ and go hunting. To sum up everything, just because we're not worried, doesn't mean there isn't a reason for concern.

[WarEagle10 77]

I have never seen such a group of most bitchingest and unsatisfyable people in my life until I joined this forum. I still don't understand why every single hire has to be a household name. Another thing is we haven't even played a snap of football with this coaching staff and some of us are already mailing it in. It's pretty pitiful and childish.

I know coaches don't have the time to read message boards. Thank goodness for that. If they did, I don't see how we could ever get a coach to come here. We have some crystal ball owning, magic 8-ball using, neckstradumbjackwagons in our fanbase.

[PoetTiger 1,901]

And for anyone interested, I just got word that Hand turned us down about three times.

Heard From who?

And what difference does it make he said no 3 times, just means Grimes was possibly number 2.......

[TitanTiger 21,064]

Outside of Herb Hand (who would have also fallen into Malzahn's "coaching circle"), what OL coach do you think he should have gone after but didn't that would be a good fit for this offense?

All I can state is what I have been told. I am not a college coach...to expect me to seriously state who I think he should have looked at is absurd. Malzahn on the other hand is a college coach. He also happens to be the Head Coach at a top-tier football program that is going to pump him with enough resources to pull guys that are more than just retreads. It is Malzahn's job to do his homework and find the best that he can find. I assure you that Herb Hand and JB Grimes aren't the only two OL coaches in the country who can deliver what Malzahn's offense needs.

And for anyone interested, I just got word that Hand turned us down about three times.

Ok, so these folks telling you didn't have any sparkling resumes to point to that were better either? Do they know for a fact he didn't inquire into any bigger names? It just seems that with most of these positions you at least hear some names get thrown around...Rocker, Garner, Craig, Horton. I haven't been hearing a string of OL coach names. I was just wondering if anyone that thinks Gus aimed too low could name anyone they know he didn't bother to contact who would be better.

[TitanTiger 21,064]

I, for one, am glad Gus hired a guy that is a stickler for the little things and loves teaching fundamentals and technique. Is there a way we can get this guy to coach EVERY position??

I just hope Gus isn't putting together the BBQ Gang 2.0 at Auburn.

One coach he's known for years (Lashlee). The other coached one season under him at Arky State (Grimes). Exactly how does that bring up worries of BBQ Gang 2.0?

You forgot the Strength and Conditioning coach as well. Let's see, three out of five coaches hired are from Arkansas State. I see every reason someone has to be worried. I'm not worried, however, because I know Gus and his staff want to win more than they want to eat BBQ and go hunting. To sum up everything, just because we're not worried, doesn't mean there isn't a reason for concern.

Two of those (Lashlee and the S&C coach) were formerly at Auburn as well. The S&C guy was an intern under Yox and also coached at Boise State.

[AUbritt 611]

Thanks for posting, VT. Nice video that should make anyone doubting this hire feel a lot more comfortable. I believe he brings a lot to the table.

War Eagle, and welcome, coach JBG.

[WarEagle10 77]

Thanks for posting, VT. Nice video that should make anyone doubting this hire feel a lot more comfortable. I believe he brings a lot to the table.

War Eagle, and welcome, coach JBG.

Very well said sir! Great stuff right there.

[AUbritt 611]

Oh, wait ... I just read the entire thread. No way this video changes the minds of the folks arguing about how bad CJBG is. They should still watch the video, though. It's well done.

As for Malzahn hiring anyone from Arkansas State to coach at Auburn, only an idiot would think that someone who coached there would be a good coach. Oh, wait .....

The Freezer at Ole Miss says 'hi', too.

[AUbritt 611]

Thanks for posting, VT. Nice video that should make anyone doubting this hire feel a lot more comfortable. I believe he brings a lot to the table.

War Eagle, and welcome, coach JBG.

Very well said sir! Great stuff right there.

Thanks. I just did a little research and trust CGM, and that was my honest reaction. I didn't realize all the cool kids would be bashing the hire. Guess it was pretty sill of me not to be able to predict the negative reaction to this hire.

Could it turn out badly? Sure. Could I be wrong to trust CGM? Yep. But I have no reason not to do so right now.

[blueridge 29]

Maybe its just me, but the people in this thread going all to pieces and pitching a fit about the hiring of JB Grimes sound demented. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. That is mine.

[benjazz 0]

Might not be. Could be "second choice, solid hire." Maybe he was waiting for Hand to make up his mind. Or maybe there are more pieces to the puzzle. If you take a guy with the reputation of being a better teacher than recruiter in one spot, you need to perhaps grab a better recruiter in another slot. So waiting on this hire could have to do with knowing what you're getting in other spots.

All I can say is that when he was hired I was told that Malzahn's greatest weakness was the fact that he had very few contacts developed among the coaching circle and that he was overly loyal to his small circle of coaches that he knows. JB Grimes was specifically mentioned as a guy that Gus would look to bring when he should be setting the bar much higher. Auburn is giving him more than enough money to assemble a top-level SEC staff...for him to have been hired weeks ago and to name Grimes today confirms the realistic worry that I had about Malzahn. Grimes does absolutely nothing for me.

Me too. Sorry, but when you have to start claiming a guy who was unemployed twice in the past 4 years is one of the best in the business you are trying to bootstrap what would otherwise be a "huh" hire. If he wants to say "this guy really gets the offense we are going to run" you get more credibility with me.

[IRONeagle1993_01 0]

He's not one of the top 5 OL coaches in the country but he's not terrible

The top 5 OL coach list is pretty damn fluid because if you are an elite OL coach you move on to the NFL. That's what former USC OL coach Pat Ruhl and former Wisconsin OL coach Bob Bostad did.

Top 5

1) Ed Warinner Ohio State

2) Jeff Stoutland Alabama

3) Steve Greatwood Oregon

4) Joe Wickline Oklahoma State

5) Mike Bloomgren Stanford

It's not that hard to get a respected OL coach especially at one of the top SEC schools like Auburn. I think this is more of a case of Gus only looking at hiring who he is comfortable with vs who is the best out there. The only 3 candidates that interviewed Jeff Grimes, Herb Hand, and JB Grimes had all worked with Gus previously.

He could have gotten

Sam Pittman did an outstanding job with Tennessee's OL instead was hired by Arkansas.

Jim Michalczik at Cal has put a lot of guys who weren't highly recruited into the NFL and produced solid OLs at Cal

Nick Tabacca currently at Ball State was runner-up for OL coach of the year

Cameron Norcross currently at Fresno State another former runner-up for OL coach of the year.

I honestly don't know why he didn't consider Jeff Grimes more he was a solid guy and he won a national championship with him as his OL coach. Yes the OL struggled this year but they were starting 2 freshman and 2 sophomores.

[benjazz 0]

He's not one of the top 5 OL coaches in the country but he's not terrible

The top 5 OL coach list is pretty damn fluid because if you are an elite OL coach you move on to the NFL. That's what former USC OL coach Pat Ruhl and former Wisconsin OL coach Bob Bostad did.

Top 5

1) Ed Warinner Ohio State

2) Jeff Stoutland Alabama

3) Steve Greatwood Oregon

4) Joe Wickline Oklahoma State

5) Mike Bloomgren Stanford

It's not that hard to get a respected OL coach especially at one of the top SEC schools like Auburn. I think this is more of a case of Gus only looking at hiring who he is comfortable with vs who is the best out there. The only 3 candidates that interviewed Jeff Grimes, Herb Hand, and JB Grimes had all worked with Gus previously.

He could have gotten

Sam Pittman did an outstanding job with Tennessee's OL instead was hired by Arkansas.

Jim Michalczik at Cal has put a lot of guys who weren't highly recruited into the NFL and produced solid OLs at Cal

Nick Tabacca currently at Ball State was runner-up for OL coach of the year

Cameron Norcross currently at Fresno State another former runner-up for OL coach of the year.

I honestly don't know why he didn't consider Jeff Grimes more he was a solid guy and he won a national championship with him as his OL coach. Yes the OL struggled this year but they were starting 2 freshman and 2 sophomores.

I thought Jeff Grimes was a good coach as well. I'm afraid Gus is only hiring who he knows and he simply doesn't have enough time in college coaching to have a large no. of contacts. When Tubs was first hired at Ole Miss he had a ton of experience with Miami as well as a year at Tex. A & M and if he didn't know someone, Jimmy Johnson, Dennis Erickson or RC Slocum probably did. Its a big big advantage in putting together a staff. JB Grimes might be a serviceable coach, but as you point out there is a lot left on the table.

[Teach_Tiger 0]

Lol, like there is such a thing as a top five OL coach. OL coaches just teach technique and the blocking schemes these are all 99 percent the same regardless of the coach and that is high school on up. Beyond that, you want a guy that can be a positive mentor. Jeff Grimes looked like a world beater under Malzahn and under Loeffler he had the worst OL in the the SEC. One of the reason why Nall looked so incompetent is because Tuberville only hired two competent OC's in his 10 year stay at Auburn. There is no such thing as a "home run" OL hire. A good OC/HC tells the OL coach what to do and the OL coach gets his guys ready to do it and that is all. Most, if not all, OC's already design the primary blocking schemes for their offense and if you watch any of Malzahn's X-O segments you'll see that he actually details all of the blocking schemes for the OL, WR's, and fullbacks down to the hashmarks.

[ShugMan55 0]

Lol, like there is such a thing as a top five OL coach. OL coaches just teach technique and the blocking schemes these are all 99 percent the same regardless of the coach and that is high school on up. Beyond that, you want a guy that can be a positive mentor. Jeff Grimes looked like a world beater under Malzahn and under Loeffler he had the worst OL in the the SEC. One of the reason why Nall looked so incompetent is because Tuberville only hired two competent OC's in his 10 year stay at Auburn.

Thank you. This is the best post in the 16 pages of this ridiculously argumentative thread.

[AU-HANDLEY-TIGER 205]

Well, as with his previous hires another coach that really had no where to go- no other offers. I am not impressed with the hires thus far- I hope I am wrong.

[AUbritt 611]

Well, as with his previous hires another coach that really had no where to go- no other offers. I am not impressed with the hires thus far- I hope I am wrong.

CEJ was sought after by other schools. FSU is the most prominent. Dameyune Craig may have elected to stay there, but CEJ picked us over them, I believe.

[TheBlueVue 177]

Well, as with his previous hires another coach that really had no where to go- no other offers. I am not impressed with the hires thus far- I hope I am wrong.

You his agent? If not, how do you know what his opportunities were? You can guess and you can whine but neither has any bearing on this coach's worthiness for the job. Its Gus' staff that is being assembled her. I'll make a note , he wouldn't get a chance to be on yours..a'ight? Now all you gotta do is find you a HC job!

[kickerman97 3]

Well, as with his previous hires another coach that really had no where to go- no other offers. I am not impressed with the hires thus far- I hope I am wrong.

This has nothing to do with anything. Thanks

[tigerrules 517]

He's not one of the top 5 OL coaches in the country but he's not terrible

The top 5 OL coach list is pretty damn fluid because if you are an elite OL coach you move on to the NFL. That's what former USC OL coach Pat Ruhl and former Wisconsin OL coach Bob Bostad did.

Top 5

1) Ed Warinner Ohio State

2) Jeff Stoutland Alabama

3) Steve Greatwood Oregon

4) Joe Wickline Oklahoma State

5) Mike Bloomgren Stanford

It's not that hard to get a respected OL coach especially at one of the top SEC schools like Auburn. I think this is more of a case of Gus only looking at hiring who he is comfortable with vs who is the best out there. The only 3 candidates that interviewed Jeff Grimes, Herb Hand, and JB Grimes had all worked with Gus previously.

He could have gotten

Sam Pittman did an outstanding job with Tennessee's OL instead was hired by Arkansas.

Jim Michalczik at Cal has put a lot of guys who weren't highly recruited into the NFL and produced solid OLs at Cal

Nick Tabacca currently at Ball State was runner-up for OL coach of the year

Cameron Norcross currently at Fresno State another former runner-up for OL coach of the year.

I honestly don't know why he didn't consider Jeff Grimes more he was a solid guy and he won a national championship with him as his OL coach. Yes the OL struggled this year but they were starting 2 freshman and 2 sophomores.

I thought Jeff Grimes was a good coach as well. I'm afraid Gus is only hiring who he knows and he simply doesn't have enough time in college coaching to have a large no. of contacts. When Tubs was first hired at Ole Miss he had a ton of experience with Miami as well as a year at Tex. A & M and if he didn't know someone, Jimmy Johnson, Dennis Erickson or RC Slocum probably did. Its a big big advantage in putting together a staff. JB Grimes might be a serviceable coach, but as you point out there is a lot left on the table.

I haven't been pleased with the OL play for two years. The lack of development Concerned me also. I think it was time for a change.

[Charleston Tiger 134]

Sorry, but this is absolutely a horrible hire. This guy was the offensive line coach at Moo State under Sly Croom and their offensive line was a disaster. This guy is worse than Grimes and Hugh Nall in my opinion

So coaching four years under Beamer at Va Tech means nothing?

Look at his resume in the last 4 years:

2009: Unemployed

2010: Kansas under Turner Gill

2011: unemployed

2012: Arkansas State

His resume in that time period is about as weak as you can get. No, I dont care that he worked for Beamer 15 years ago. Every coach Beamer hires is not great. Most Virginia Tech fans want to fire their current offenisve coordinator today

And their offensive line coach is being looked at FOR their offensive coordinator position right now. Also, their OL coach has been in the running for quite a few other OC positions that have become available. You are turning into the biggest negative nancy ever. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

[Charleston Tiger 134]

Well, as with his previous hires another coach that really had no where to go- no other offers. I am not impressed with the hires thus far- I hope I am wrong.

CEJ was sought after by other schools. FSU is the most prominent. Dameyune Craig may have elected to stay there, but CEJ picked us over them, I believe.

It would appear so, what with the contract and all that!