Report: Kansas expected to hire Jeff Grimes as new offensive coordinator

Just weeks after the end of the 2023 college football regular season, the coaching carousel is spinning like a top as the Kansas Jayhawks have already lost and now replaced their offensive coordinator.

Lance Leipold recently lost Kansas’ offensive coordinator from the last three seasons, Andy Kotelnicki, who absconded from Lawrence to accept the same position on James Franklin’s staff at Penn State. To replace him, Leipold has reportedly landed Jeff Grimes, the offensive coordinator at Baylor who also served the same role at BYU previously.

Here was the report of that news, which Ross Dellenger tweeted on Thursday: “Kansas is expected to hire former Baylor and BYU OC Jeff Grimes as offensive coordinator, source tells YahooSports.”

Leipold already named Co-Offensive Coordinator

Moments after it was announced that Kansas would be losing offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, as he is leaving to become the Penn State OC, the Jayhawks announced a few other changes to their coaching staff.

Head coach Lance Leipold promoted Jim Zebrowski to the Co-Offensive coordinator position. Along with Zebrowski, Jordan Peterson will now be Kansas’ Co-Defensive coordinator. Below is what Leipold had to say on the two promotions.

“Both Jim Zebrowski and Jordan Peterson have been vital to the Kansas football program and will continue to elevate us in their new roles,” Leipold said. “In working with both of them, their relationship building, coaching ability and commitment to Kansas football is extremely strong.”

Kotelnicki followed Lance Leipold to KU in 2021 after the two worked together at Buffalo. The Jayhawks went from 324.2 yards of offense per game in his first season to 437.9 yards per contest in 2022. This past season, Kansas ranked seventh in the Big 12 with 434 yards per game with Jason Bean at quarterback for most of the year after Jalon Daniels suffered an injury. The Jayhawks also averaged 33.6 points per game, which ranked fourth in the Big 12.

Kansas started the 2023 season 4-0, and ultimately finished the regular season with an 8-4 record, finishing eighth in Big 12 standings. The Jayhawks went 5-4 during Big 12 conference play.

The Jayhawks averaged 33.9 points per game on the season, with 434 offensive yards per contest. Passing wise, Kansas had 222.7 net yards per game, 18 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. On the ground, they ran for 2,536 yards and 31 touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per attempt and 211.3 rushing yards per game.