Tag: Alex Grinch

Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell discusses hire of Alex Grinch after rough USC tenure

Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell discusses hire of Alex Grinch after rough USC tenure

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell addressed one of the program’s headline-grabbing moments of the offseason at Big Ten media days on Tuesday.

That is the hire of former USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch to its new safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator.

Related: The 6 most likely scenarios for Wisconsin’s 2024 football season

The Badgers made the hire in late January after safeties coach Colin Hitschler left for the same position on Kalen DeBoer’s staff at Alabama.

Grinch was available after being fired as USC’s defensive coordinator midway through the 2023 season.

“I want guys that have had a lot of tough situations,” Fickell said. “Guys that have gone through that and humbled themselves and you can recognize that, I think they are a hell of a lot better in the long run.”

USC decided to move on from Grinch as his 2023 defense was in the midst of a season where it finished ranked No. 119 in the nation with 432.8 yards allowed per game, No. 121 in scoring defense with 34.4 points allowed per game and finished ranked No. 105 in ESPN SP+. That is after his unit finished No. 106, No. 93 and No. 87 respectively in 2022.

The Trojans were among the worst defensive teams in the nation during his two years at the helm, prompting many fans to wonder why the Badgers would make the hire.

Grinch does have a successful track record as an assistant, however, just not as a coordinator. He was a four-time Broyles Award nominee for the nation’s top assistant coach, including a semifinalist in 2017 and 2019.

His coaching experience includes working as the safeties coach at Missouri (2012-2014), defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Washington State (2015-2017), co-DC and safeties coach at Ohio State (2018), DC and safeties coach under Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma (2019-2021) and in the same position once Riley left for USC (2022-2023).

“We didn’t overlap at the time at Ohio State, but had some mutual connections and knew that our ideas and things we do aligned in a lot of ways,” Fickell added. “Once I got to know him and met him a little bit, to see and feel the humility that he had and all the things he went through, never complained, never made an excuse, never pointed a finger. He’s a very smart football coach that is a hell of a lot better now even then he was then because of those experiences.”

Grinch is set to coach a safeties room that will be led by star Hunter Wohler in 2024. He will also co-coordinate a defense that is expected to take a significant step forward after a solid performance in 2023.

Wisconsin’s head coach is certainly confident in Grinch being a positive addition to his staff despite his recent track record as a defensive coordinator.

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Wisconsin and Alex Grinch land four-star USC linebacker target

One linebacker chooses Wisconsin over USC.

Alex Grinch and the Wisconsin football staff have added four-star linebacker and USC Trojans target Mason Posa. He signed to the Badgers earlier this week over Alabama, USC, Oregon, Texas A&M, Washington and many others.

The 6’3, 210-pound linebacker from Albequerque La Cueva High School is rated as 247Sports’ No. 1 overall recruit in New Mexico and the No. 18 linebacker prospect in the country.

Badgers Wire has more on this story:

“The program has landed commitments from four-star OT Logan Powell, three-star OT Logan Davenport, three-star CB Rukeem Stroud, three-star CB Jahmare Washington, three-star TE Nizyi Davis, three-star DL Torin Pettaway and now top-ranked linebacker Mason Posa all since the start of the month.

“The group is now up to 18 total commitments with Thursday’s addition of Posa. That number is also sure to rise with the program still in the running for several top targets and set for another busy weekend of official visits.”

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Tackett Curtis returns to L.A. with Alex Grinch when Wisconsin visits USC

The Tackett Curtis-Alex Grinch storyline will be potent when Wisconsin visits the Coliseum.

USC is moving to the Big Ten this summer. When the Trojans play college football this fall, Wisconsin will be a Big Ten Conference opponent. One of the central storylines in that USC-Wisconsin game will be the return to Los Angeles of both Alex Grinch and Tackett Curtis. The coach and the player both went to Wisconsin for the 2024 season under head coach Luke Fickell. This will be a spicy plot point for Badgers-Trojans.

We talked to Badgers Wire editor Ben Kenney about Curtis and Grinch, among many other topics.

Here’s what Badgers Wire wrote about Curtis:

“Curtis, meanwhile, transferred to Wisconsin after one season at USC. The former top recruit started most of the season at inside linebacker for a poor Trojans defense, recording 40 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and two sacks. He brings an impressive recruiting pedigree and a ton of potential, but he isn’t in line to start for the Badgers in 2024.

“Luke Fickell and his staff worked hard to re-shape the program’s linebacker room. Veteran Jaheim Thomas is projected to start alongside Jake Chaney this season, with Curtis and former UNC linebacker Sebastian Cheeks forming the future.”

Here’s our full show with Ben Kenney of Badgers Wire:

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Trojans Wire talks to Badgers Wire about Alex Grinch and a lot more

Are Wisconsin fans worried about Alex Grinch? What do you think?

We are going to spend the summer here at USC football learning about the Big Ten Conference. Therefore, we want to learn more about various schools, fan bases, and football programs in the league. One of them is Wisconsin. We talked to Badgers Wire about a number of different subjects. One is Alex Grinch, who is now on Luke Fickell’s staff in Madison and will go up against USC later this season. More precisely, Grinch will come back to the Los Angeles Coliseum when the Badgers visit L.A. to face the Men of Troy.

How worried are Wisconsin football fans that Alex Grinch is now on their coaching staff? You will be interested in the answer. In some ways, while we were interviewing Badgers Wire editor Ben Kenney about Wisconsin, this Grinch segment turned into a two-way interview in which Ben wanted to know what USC fans and bloggers thought about Grinch. It’s a revealing moment in an informative Big Ten conversation, part of “Big Ten Summer” here at Trojans Wire.

Be sure to follow Ben Kenney and Badgers Wire for complete Wisconsin coverage.

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Oklahoma LB Danny Stutsman should be a EA Sports College Football 25 cover athlete

OU’s senior linebacker should be immortalized on the cover of the new college football video game.

College Football is finally getting passed back the sticks this summer, as EA Sports will be releasing College Football 25. It’s the long-awaited sequel to the college football video game series that saw its last installment, NCAA 14, come out eleven years ago.

EA Sports announced the return of the series in February 2021, and more information about the game itself has trickled out since then, with a teaser trailer dropping this past winter.

While we don’t have a release date yet, we do know that players can opt in to the game and earn income through name, image, and likeness. We know commentators, like ESPN’s lead duo of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit, will be featured. We know that all 134 FBS teams for the 2024 season will appear in the game. And we know that there will be multiple covers with different cover athletes for different editions of the game.

That’s where Oklahoma Sooners’ football linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] should come in. There haven’t been any confirmed reports about who the cover athletes will be yet, but Stutsman is exactly the kind of player who should be considered.

Cover athletes are typically offensive players, guys with the ball in their hands. And that makes sense, as that’s what a football video game allows the person playing it to feel like they are doing.

But even at the linebacker spot, Stutsman represents what die-hard college football fans love about the sport, and what new fans to the game can embrace.

He represents college football.

In the era of the transfer portal, with players moving around at will, sometimes multiple times in one year, Stutsman has been a Sooner since his true freshman season in 2021. He stuck it out in the crimson and cream when [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] and his defensive coordinator [autotag]Alex Grinch[/autotag], the pair that recruited him to Norman, hopped on a plane to Southern California. He stuck it out when [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] took charge of the program a week later. He stuck it out through a 6-7 season in 2022, and didn’t waver in his commitment to Venables and the Sooners. And he was the focal point of OU’s defense last year, as the team improved to 10-3.

Stutsman considered leaving for the NFL but changed course and decided to return to Oklahoma to chase championships in the SEC for the 2024 season. He made an epic announcement on social media.

But Stutsman isn’t just some old soul who rejects what is becoming the modern era of college football. If you couldn’t tell by a Jordan Belfort, Wolf of Wall Street reference of all things, Stutsman embraces the new opportunities for players of his caliber.

Stutsman cashed in with a t-shirt featuring his quote from the pregame of the 2023 Red River Rivalry win over Texas. The shirt read, “Oklahoma only fears God. Texas fears Oklahoma.” Even Venables donned the apparel featuring Stutsman in the Golden Hat and sunglasses with his signature on them, smoking a Saban victory cigar. EA Sports can go ahead and make that image the cover.

Personalities sell the sport and Stutsman has one of the biggest in college football. He’s well known, especially in Big 12 and SEC circles. He has a [autotag]Brian Bosworth[/autotag]-esque swagger and style on and off the field. “The Boz” would have made an excellent cover athlete as well.

Stutsman is one of the best linebackers in the nation heading into 2024, and plays for one of the most recognizable brands in the sport. Oklahoma is at or near the very top of the blue blood list over the 150-plus year history of the game.

The Sooners have never had a player grace the cover of a college football video game. The game’s hiatus caused there to never be a cover featuring Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray or Baker Mayfield.

Why not start with Danny Stutsman on the cover of a “defense wins championships” edition of College Football 25?

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Former Sooners edge rusher Reggie Grimes commits to Memphis

The former defensive end for the Sooners committed to Memphis after a stint in the transfer portal.

Former Oklahoma Sooners football defensive end [autotag]Reggie Grimes II[/autotag] is going back to his home state to continue his college career. He committed to the Memphis Tigers late Sunday night.

Grimes hails from Brentwood, Tennessee and was a four-star prospect according to 247Sports in the 2020 recruiting class for Oklahoma. Grimes committed to [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] and [autotag]Alex Grinch[/autotag] in late November of 2019, and spent four seasons as a Sooner, the last two of which were under the direction of [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag].

 

Grimes was a two year starter at defensive end for Oklahoma, and his best season came in 2022, when he tallied 4.5 sacks and nineteen tackles. He entered the transfer portal in December, after a redshirt year in 2023, and arrives in Memphis for head coach Ryan Silverfield with two years of eligibility remaining.

As it stands, the other former Sooners still searching for a home in the transfer portal are quarterbacks [autotag]General Booty[/autotag] and Jacob Switzer, linebackers [autotag]Shane Whitter[/autotag] and Konnor Near and tight end Hayden Bray.

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Oklahoma Sooners earn commitment from defensive tackle transfer Damonic Williams

The Oklahoma Sooners picked up a huge commitment from TCU transfer defensive tackle Damonic Williams.

Since [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] arrived to Norman, one of the top priorities has been to get bigger in the trenches. In particular on the defensive side of the football. Transitioning from [autotag]Alex Grinch[/autotag]’s “Speed D” to what is needed to contend in the SEC. To that end, the Oklahoma Sooners have landed one of the top defensive tackles in the nation via the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag], [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag].

Williams, who began his career at TCU, is the prototypical nose tackle. He’s got great size, strength, and quickness to be a force in the middle of a defensive line. He’s played a ton in his two years in college football, starting every game the last two seasons for the Horned Frogs. He’s played over 1,000 snaps, and was a key piece to TCU’s run to the College Football Playoff national championship.

The Sooners earned Williams commitment after a portal recruiting battle with Texas, LSU, and Missouri.

In a message on social media, Williams said, “Where do I start this entire process has been a whirlwind. Sooner nation I want you to know at the end of the day I chose you because of relationships with Coach V & Coach Bates & the staff. They were genuine & I believe in their ability to develop me as a man & a player & prepare me for the next level. I can’t wait to get to work with my teammates!! You will get my best version & my best effort. I am blue collar & I love to compete at the highest level. God Bless & Boomer Sooner!!”

In two seasons with the Horned Frogs, Williams recorded 60 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. He improved each of those statistical categories in 2023 despite playing two fewer games.

With the addition of Williams the Sooners upgrade their defensive tackle spot as they prepare for their first season in the SEC. The Sooners now have a really nice trio of players that can play the nose tackle spot in Williams, senior Da’Jon Terry, and true freshman Jayden Jackson.

There’s a chance he comes in and starts for the Sooners right away, but even if he doesn’t, he’ll be a significant part of the rotation. Either way, the Sooners defensive interior just got a lot better with the addition of Williams.

He has two years of eligibility remaining, but looks more likely headed toward the NFL after the 2024 season with what he’s done at the collegiate level thus far.

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Former five-star recruit with Wisconsin connections to enter transfer portal

Should Wisconsin pursue Alexander?

USC defensive lineman Bear Alexander plans to enter the transfer portal, according to a report from On3.

The former five-star recruit recorded 48 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in Alex Grinch’s defense in 2023. Grinch is now Wisconsin’s safeties coach after USC fired him midseason, giving the Badgers a connection to the highly touted lineman.

Related: Ranking Wisconsin football’s incoming transfers by expected impact in 2024 season

Alexander played his freshman season at Georgia before leaving for USC. The new school in 2024 will be his seventh in as many years dating back to high school.

The potential is undeniable. The Bradenton, Florida native was 247Sports’ No. 50 player in the class of 2022, No. 9 defensive lineman and No. 9 recruit from the state of Florida. But that potential has still yet to fully blossom on the field.

Wisconsin has a clear need at defensive line in the transfer portal for the spring window. The team is razor-thin at the position with only James Thompson Jr. and Curt Neal as experienced contributors there.

Yes, there is a red flag with Alexander’s history of finding a new school every year since high school began. But if Wisconsin can get the requisite buy-in, he could be an impactful addition.

UPDATE: Alexander recently shot down the report that he’d be entering the portal.

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USC football roster decisions questioned by NFL pundits and scouts

Two USC NFL draft prospects might change positions in the pros. It’s as though Alex Grinch had no clue.

If you have been paying close attention to the NFL combine and the analysis and chatter from NFL teams and scouts, you might have noticed that a few USC football prospects might change positions in the pros.

For instance, several NFL teams are interested in working out USC safety Calen Bullock at cornerback. NFL draft analysts are also saying that cornerback Christian Roland-Wallace might actually have a better chance of sticking on an NFL roster as a safety.

Doesn’t that raise a lot of questions about how Alex Grinch and USC managed personnel and made various roster decisions during the 2023 college football season?

It’s bad enough that USC couldn’t tackle well and was often confused before the snap. It’s bad enough that the Trojans were thin on the defensive line and were utterly ineffective in the secondary. Technique was not taught well. Players were not tough and were not developed well by the strength and conditioning program. Yet, in addition to all those problems, Grinch couldn’t put players at the right positions. He also didn’t put the best 11 players on the field.

Other than that, nothing was wrong with USC football in 2023.

Christian Roland-Wallace and Calen Bullock can only hope that after being wrongly assigned by Grinch, they will find a good home with NFL teams whose coaches know how to use their talents.

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An updated look at Wisconsin’s 2024 coaching staff after its latest hire

An updated look at Wisconsin’s 2024 coaching staff after its latest hire

Wisconsin football completed its 2024 coaching staff Thursday with the hire of defensive line coach E.J. Whitlow.

The move was required after former defensive line coach Greg Scruggs left for the same position at Michigan. It was an offseason of similar turnover across the coaching staff, as wide receivers coach Mike Brown moved laterally to Notre Dame and safeties coach Colin Hitschler the same to Alabama.

Related: Big Ten starting quarterback rankings for 2024

Luke Fickell then hired Kenny Guiton and the controversial Alex Grinch to fill those respective positions.

So, the Badgers coaching staff is now set with spring practice nearly one month away. Here is the updated look at Fickell’s 2024 staff after the hire of Whitlow: