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Alex Grinch

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Alex Grinch
Current position
TitleCo-defensive coordinator / Safeties coach
TeamWisconsin
ConferenceBig Ten
Biographical details
Born (1980-05-29) May 29, 1980 (age 44)
Grove City, Ohio, U.S.
Playing career
1998–2001Mount Union
Position(s)Strong safety[1]
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2002–2004Missouri (GA)[2]
2005–2006New Hampshire (CB)
2007–2008New Hampshire (DB/RC)
2009–2011Wyoming (DB/RC)
2012–2014Missouri (S)[3]
2015–2017Washington State (DC/DB)
2018Ohio State (co-DC/S)
2019–2021Oklahoma (DC/S)
2022–2023USC (DC/S)
2024–presentWisconsin (co-DC/S)

Alexander Gregory Grinch (born May 29, 1980) is an American football coach who is currently the safeties coach for the Wisconsin Badgers. He previously served as the defensive coordinator at the University of Southern California (USC), the University of Oklahoma, Ohio State University and Washington State University. Grinch is a four-time nominee for the Broyles Award (given to the nation’s top assistant coach) and was a semifinalist in 2017 and 2019.[4] Grinch has also served as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri, the University of Wyoming, and the University of New Hampshire.

Playing career

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Grinch played defensive back at Mount Union College from 1998 to 2001.[5] During that time, Mount Union amassed a record of 54–1 and won three NCAA Division III Football Championships. Grinch graduated from Mount Union in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in sport management.[6]

Coaching career

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Missouri

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From 2002 to 2004, Grinch was a graduate assistant under Gary Pinkel at the University of Missouri, and he completed his master's degree in educational leadership and policy analysis at Missouri in 2004.[6]

New Hampshire

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Grinch's first regular assistant coaching job was at Division I-AA New Hampshire under Sean McDonnell. In 2005 and 2006, Grinch was the cornerbacks coach.[6] After a promotion, Grinch became the recruiting coordinator and coached the entire defensive secondary in 2007 and 2008. Chip Kelly was the OC at New Hampshire and Grinch learned the value of practicing fast from competing against him every day.[7]

Wyoming

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Grinch spent three seasons at Wyoming as the recruiting coordinator and coaching the secondary.[7]

Missouri (second stint)

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Again working under Pinkel, Grinch coached the safeties at Missouri from 2012 to 2014.[8]

Washington State

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From 2015 to 2017, Grinch was the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Washington State under Mike Leach.[8]

Ohio State

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In January 2018, Grinch joined Urban Meyer's staff at Ohio State as co-defensive coordinator.[9]

Oklahoma

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In January 2019, Grinch joined Lincoln Riley's staff at Oklahoma as defensive coordinator.[10] He spent three years with the Sooners and was able to help a defense that finished 101st in scoring defense and 130th in passing defense, under former defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, who would be fired after giving up 48 points to rival Texas.[11]

USC

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In November 2021, Grinch followed Riley after he was hired to be the next head coach at USC, serving in the same capacity as before.[12] At USC he inherited a Trojan defensive roster that in 2021 finished as one of the worst units statistically in program history, ranking 103rd in scoring defense and well below average in all other categories.[13] After a promising three game start to the year, the Trojan defense allowed 293 points over the next seven game stretch and fell to 7–3. Of these seven games, opponents scored over 41 points five times.[14] On November 5, 2023, Grinch was fired as USC's defensive coordinator.[15]

Wisconsin

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In February 2024, Grinch joined Luke Fickell's staff at Wisconsin as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.[16]

Personal life

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Grinch grew up in Grove City, Ohio and graduated from Grove City High School.[17] In 2003, he married Rebecca Blaser. They have two children.[8] He is the nephew of longtime Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel, under whom Grinch worked as a graduate assistant and safeties coach.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Mount Union College Football". Archived from the original on January 15, 2002. Retrieved January 15, 2002.
  2. ^ Loh, Stephanie (August 26, 2015). "First-time defensive coordinator Alex Grinch seeking higher standard from WSU". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  3. ^ Sandritter, Mark (January 14, 2015). "Everything we know about WSU's new DC Alex Grinch". CougCenter.
  4. ^ "Grinch Named Broyles Award Semifinalist". University of Oklahoma. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  5. ^ "Alex Grinch Joins Ohio State Coaching Staff". Ohio State Buckeyes. January 8, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c "Official Site of UNH Athletics - Football". Archived from the original on August 6, 2006. Retrieved August 6, 2006.
  7. ^ a b "WYOMING OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE – Football". March 23, 2009. Archived from the original on March 23, 2009.
  8. ^ a b c "Alex Grinch". OhioStateBuckeyes.com. Ohio State University. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  9. ^ "Alex Grinch Joining Ohio State Staff, Already Listed in OSU Directory". The-Ozone. January 5, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  10. ^ Barnett, Zach. "Oklahoma hires Alex Grinch as defensive coordinator". Footballscoop. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  11. ^ Zucker, Joseph. "Oklahoma DC Mike Stoops Fired After Sooners Allow 48 Points to Texas". Bleacher Report. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  12. ^ Engelbrecht, Chandler (November 28, 2021). "OU football: Sooners defensive coordinator Alex Grinch to join Lincoln Riley at USC, per ESPN". OU Daily. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  13. ^ "Can the USC defense make the 2021 season a distant memory?". Orange County Register. August 30, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  14. ^ "USC Trojans 2023 Regular Season NCAAF Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  15. ^ Beachem, Greg (November 5, 2023). "USC fires defensive coordinator Alex Grinch with 2 games left in regular season". Associated Press. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  16. ^ "Badgers add Alex Grinch to defensive staff". Uwbadgers.com. February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  17. ^ a b Rabinowitz, Bill (January 13, 2018). "Alex Grinch makes presence felt as defensive coach". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
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