Lee Grimes brings key recruiting ties to Kansas

Les Miles has hired Lee Grimes to be the next offensive line coach at Kansas. Grimes is described by coaches who know him as a young, energetic coach with deep recruiting ties in the state of Texas.

Grimes was hired last year at Charlotte, after leaving Texas A&M.

During his time as Texas A&M he had a big impact in recruiting helping land several players including Kenyon Green, who is an Outland Trophy semi-finalist.

“He came in and recruited great,” said Mark Passwaters, who is the publisher of the Texas A&M site. “You're talking about (Kenyon Green) the Outland Trophy semi-finalist and five-star recruit. Grimes was one of those guys that helped lock him down.

“He basically got to build a foundation with Reuben Fatheree, one of the guys that signed this year, and Bryce foster. He was involved with all of them.”

Grimes is well-known in the state of Texas. As a player at Brownwood High School, he was an all-state selection and was voted to the All-Century high school team. He played offensive line for Texas A&M, where he was voted to the All-Decade team.

“You're talking about a guy that basically has been a Texas guy all his life,” Passwaters said. “He shot right up the ranks. He just does a very good job of connecting with people. He did it all across state, especially in Houston and Dallas. I think Kansas got a guy that knows a lot of people in the high school coaching ranks. I really like him.”

There is also a Kansas connection. Grimes was the offensive line coach and run game coordinator at East Baptist Texas when Josh Eargle was the head coach. Eargle is currently the Jayhawks tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. They took over a down program and in one year won a conference championship.

Grimes played briefly in the NFL before getting into coaching. His playing experience and building his college coaching resume have helped his name grow among college coaches as a young, coaching candidate.

“His past experience is a benefit,” Passwaters said. “He knows all the positions. He played them all. He understands technique, and now he's been under two of the best line coaches in the last decade. He started with Jim Turner and was with Josh Henson for a year at A&M.

“I'm sure that he picked up a few pointers from them as well. He's got his own natural knowledge, and now he's picked up more from a guy who's in the NFL and the guy who's running, probably the best offensive line in America right now.”

When Grimes went to Charlotte, he quickly won one of the biggest recruiting battles of the spring. He was a big reason why four-star offensive lineman Ty’Kieast Crawford chose Charlotte.

Crawford had offers from Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, LSU, Tennessee, and several other programs coming out of high school. He was committed to Arkansas and Baylor at one point.

The recruiting battle for Crawford was intense and LSU and Oklahoma State were thought to be the two leaders. But Grimes relationship won out, and Crawford signed with Charlotte. He played in all six games as a true freshman and started three.

Crawford has entered the NCAA transfer portal and is looking for a new home. He would have four years of eligibility remaining. He will be one of the most sought after linemen in the portal.

Grimes also helped land quarterback James Foster earlier this month. Foster transferred from Texas A&M after signing in Jimbo Fisher’s first class. Fisher recruited Foster at Florida State and went after him immediately once he got the job at Texas A&M.

Foster had offers from Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Baylor among others coming out of high school.

He announced in December he was committing to Charlotte.