Football

One thing that has been a common theme with Tech head coach Dewayne Alexander's staff is finding people who are committed to the Golden Eagle Way. Chris Grimes certainly embodies it as a former Golden Eagle player and coach.

Grimes, another Tech alum, spent the last four years at Gardner-Webb, including as the defensive coordinator the last two seasons. It will be his third stint coaching at Tech following a GA post in the 2008 campaign, as well as a defensive assistant spot from 2010 to 2014.

"He's back with us," Alexander said. "Chris had an outstanding playing career. He was on the coaching staff when we won the 2011 OVC championship. I had actually hired Chris as a graduate assistant at Cumberland and Watson Brown turned around and hired him away from me two weeks later. I ended up on the staff with Chris for a year.

"He has strong ties to the state of Tennessee, but he's also gone and grown as a coach. He's been to East Tennessee with Coach Billy Taylor, who used to be here. He went to Gardner-Webb and was elevated there from a position coach to the defensive coordinator for Coach Carroll McCray, whom I have a ton of respect for. He thinks the world of Chris."

Grimes will oversee the nickels, as well as split efforts as an assistant special teams coordinator with running backs coach Gerald Howse.

He learned an awful lot about playing defense during his four-year career on the field for the Golden Eagles, when he was considered one of the team’s hardest-hitters. In 2010, he returned to his alma mater to teach the lessons he learned to the current Golden Eagle players, and as a member of Watson Brown’s TTU coaching staff, moving from graduate assistant to assistant coach for the Golden Eagles in 2012.
   
A former cornerback known for his hustle and hard-hitting style of play, Grimes works with all phases of the Tech defense while coaching the safeties and nickels.
   
After a redshirt season in 2003, Chris became a fixture on the field for the Golden Eagles during the next four years, playing in 39 contests and starting 16 contests. He chalked up 158 total tackles including 101 unassisted tackles from his cornerback spot. In addition to his jarring stops, he also recovered seven fumbles during his career, caused two fumbles and broke up 16 passes. He had three career interceptions and finished with eight tackles-for-loss.
   
During his prep days, he was a two-way player for coach Don Thomas at LaVergne High School, starting at tailback and free safety. He rushed for 3,650 yards and finished his prep career with 231 tackles for the Wolverines.
   
He joined the Golden Eagle coaching staff as a graduate assistant coach in 2010 to pursue a master’s degree. Prior to returning to Tech, he served as an assistant coach at LaVergne High School under head coach Will Hester. In that position, he coached the defensive backs and special teams.
   
Grimes first graduated from Tech in 2008 with a degree in multidisciplinary studies and received his master’s degree in 2012.