Remember when Wisconsin Badgers head football coach Luke Fickell said that he was hoping to get his offensive coordinator hire done soon? It's looking like an announcement could be coming sooner rather than later, and there's a name standing out for people to keep an eye on.
That'd be Kansas offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes. According to insider Pete Thamel, Grimes has emerged as a top candidate for Fickell. While nothing is being finalized just yet, Thamel is reporting that talks between Wisconsin and Grimes are taking place and things are expected to heat up there. Would fans like this call by Fickell for Wisconsin's new leader on the offensive side of the ball?
Sources; Wisconsin is targeting Kansas OC Jeff Grimes as the school’s new offensive coordinator. A deal is not complete, but the sides are talking and those talks are expected to intensity in the near future.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 6, 2024
Wisconsin is reportedly targeting Kansas' Jeff Grimes to take over as OC
Grimes has loads of coaching experience and he's known for being a brilliant offensive mind. Prior to making his way to Kansas, Grimes spent three years at Baylor as OC/TEs coach. Previous stops for him included BYU, LSU, Virginia, Auburn, Colorado, Boise State and more.
It was a rough season for the Jayhawks, however, as Kansas finished the year at 5-7 overall, the same record as Wisconsin in '24. You can't put that all on Grimes' offense, though, as the Kansas defense had all sorts of issues this campaign.
What could make Grimes an interesting hire too is that he would provide the Badgers with an opposite look of what Phil Longo brought to campus - Grimes isn't going to focus on throwing the ball all over the field, but instead he'll look to wear down a defense with the ground game.
The Badgers offense was a nightmare to watch at times in '24, which led to Longo being shown the door. Things are not done here yet, but Grimes appears to be in a great spot to take over for Longo if he wants the job. This situation will be something to monitor, as a final call could be made at some point this weekend.