Lee Grimes - Football - Kansas Jayhawks

Lee Grimes

TITLE Assistant Coach - Offensive Line
PHONE 864-3392

Bio

Lee Grimes  was added to the Kansas football staff as offensive line coach in December, 2020. Grimes, a decorated former player and staff member at Texas A&M, spent the 2020 season at UNC Charlotte, and brings more than eight years of collegiate coaching experience to Lawrence.

Grimes, who played in the NFL in 2010, arrives at Kansas after one season with the Charlotte 49ers, serving as the offensive line coach. In a season shortened by COVID-19 cancellations, the Charlotte offense averaged 30.8 points per game in conference play, ranking 3rd in Conference USA, including a season high 49 points against North Texas on October 10, 2020.

Prior to his one season at Charlotte, Grimes spent three seasons at Texas A&M, both as a senior offensive analyst and graduate assistant working with the offensive line. Grimes began his tenure in College Station as a graduate assistant in 2017, but was promoted after one season.

During his one season as a graduate assistant, Grimes coached Erik McCoy and Keaton Sutherland, who are both currently in the NFL. McCoy was a second-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2019, while Sutherland is currently with the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Aggies went to a bowl game in each of Grimes’ three seasons with the program, with wins at the Gator Bowl and Texas Bowl. Grimes also helped the Aggies recruit at a high level at offensive line, as the Aggies added two recruits in his final year who were ranked among the top 10 offensive guards in the country.

Texas A&M landed a pair of top-10 recruiting classes while Grimes was on board, including the fourth-ranked class nationally in 2019. The Aggies also secured a top-20 class in Grimes’ first season with the program.

When Grimes left Texas A&M, the Aggies line featured a returning group for a 2020 season that included 52 career starts and a group loaded with talent. That group was named a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, which is given annually to the top offensive line unit in college football.

Grimes came to Texas A&M from Minnesota, where he served as a graduate assistant for the 2016 season. The Golden Gophers went 9-4 and notched a Holiday Bowl win over Washington State to conclude the season.

Prior to his time at Minnesota, Grimes was the run game coordinator and offensive line coach at East Texas Baptist for three seasons. There, Grimes coached under head coach Joshua Eargle, who now serves as the recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach for the Jayhawks.

At East Texas Baptist, Grimes coached four all-conference linemen in 2015 and three in 2014. He helped the offense set 19 school records and average more than 40 points per game in 2015, while also finishing second in the nation in total yards per game. The Tigers also won the conference championship in 2015 for the first time in 12 years.

Grimes got into coaching in 2010 at University of Arkansas at Monticello as the assistant offensive line coach. He also spent time at Southeastern Oklahoma State and Lubbock Estacado High School, prior to his stint at East Texas Baptist.

Before his coaching career, Grimes was a standout multi-sport athlete in high school in the state of Texas, having success on the gridiron and winning the state championship in shot put in 2005.  For his efforts as a high school football player, Grimes was named to the UIL All-Century Offensive Team for the period of 1910-2010, alongside names such as Earl Campbell, Alan Faneca, Adrian Peterson, LaDanian Tomlinson, and Leonard Davis.

As a player at Texas A&M, Grimes was a teammate of current Kansas safeties coach Jordan Peterson. Grimes was a two-year starter for the Aggies and a four-year letter winner. He was an All-Big 12 Second-Team selection in 2009 and was named to the Texas A&M All-Decade team for 2000-10. He received his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M in 2009.

Grimes spent part of the 2010 season with both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the San Diego Chargers following his playing career in College Station.

Grimes and his wife, Kristen, have one son, Deacon.

THE GRIMES FILE
Alma Mater: Texas A&M, 2009
Hometown: Brownwood, Texas
Wife: Kristen
Children: Deacon

Coaching Experience
2020 - Offensive Line, UNC Charlotte
2017-19 - Senior Offensive Analyst & GA, Texas A&M
2016 - Graduate Assistant, Minnesota
2013-15 - Run Game Coordinator & OL Coach, East Texas Baptist University
2012 - Offensive Line, Lubbock Estacado High School

PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Texas A&M

BOWL GAME EXPERIENCE
2019, Texas Bowl (Texas A&M)
2018, Gator Bowl (Texas A&M)
2017, Belk Bowl (Texas A&M)
2016, Holiday Bowl (Minnesota)