Alex Grinch

Alexander Gregory Grinch (born May 29, 1980) is an American football coach who serves as the defensive coordinator at the University of Southern California (USC). He previously served as defensive coordinator at 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.

Alex Grinch
Current position
TitleDefensive coordinator
TeamUSC
ConferencePac-12
Biographical details
Born (1980-05-29) May 29, 1980
Grove City, Ohio
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)
2012–2014Missouri (S)[3]
2015–2017Washington State (DC/DB)
2018Ohio State (co-DC/S)
2019–2021Oklahoma (DC/S)
2022–presentUSC (DC/S)

Playing career

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

Missouri

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

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

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

Missouri (second stint)

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

Washington State

From 2015 to 2017, Grinch was the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Washington State under Mike Leach.[8] In 2014, the year before his arrival at Washington State, the Cougars ranked 99th nationally in total defense (442.3 ypg), 127th in pass defense (296.6 ypg) and 127th in turnovers gained (8). In 2017, his WSU unit ranked 16th in total defense (323.3 ypg), ninth in passing defense (170.9 ypg) and ninth in turnovers gained (28).

Ohio State

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

Oklahoma

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] In his first year in Norman, OU led the Big 12 in total defense in league play (330.6 ypg) and ranked 17th nationally on the season in opponent third-down conversion percentage (32.2), 32nd in rushing defense (134.1 ypg) and 38th in total defense (356.4 ypg). Grinch transformed the Sooners' defense into a more-than-formidable unit that ranked third nationally in 2020 in interceptions (16; ranked 112th in 2018 with six the year before his arrival at OU), fourth in opponent third-down conversion percentage (27.9; ranked 119th in 2018 at 46.4), seventh in sacks per game (3.4; ranked 74th in 2018 at 2.1), ninth in pass defense efficiency (112.9 rating; ranked 112th in 2018 at 151.9), ninth in rushing defense (105.1 ypg; ranked 59th in 2018 at 159.8), 28th in scoring defense (21.7 ppg; ranked 101st in 2018 at 33.3) and 29th in total defense (350.6 ypg; ranked 114th in 2018 at 453.8).[12] His 2021 defense regressed to 76th nationally in total yards allowed. [13]

USC

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.[14] 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.[15] The 2022 USC defense was ranked 51st in scoring defense, 8th nationally in sacks, 2nd in interceptions, and 37th in tackles for loss. So far through the first two contests of 2023, his defense has surrendered 21 points per game, while generating 6 sacks and a turnover.

Personal life

Grinch grew up in Grove City, Ohio and graduated from Grove City High School.[16] 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.[16]

References
  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. "Official Site of UNH Athletics - Football". Archived from the original on August 6, 2006. Retrieved August 6, 2006.
  7. "WYOMING OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE – Football". March 23, 2009. Archived from the original on March 23, 2009.
  8. "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. "Alex Grinch - Defensive Coordinator / Safeties - Football Coaches". University of Oklahoma. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  13. "NCAA total defense rankings". Cfbdatabase. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  14. 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.
  15. "Can the USC defense make the 2021 season a distant memory?". Orange County Register. August 30, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  16. Rabinowitz, Bill (January 13, 2018). "Alex Grinch makes presence felt as defensive coach". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
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