W E E K D AY E D I T I O N | J A N U A R Y 15 -16 , 2 0 19 | T W I C E W E E K LY I N P R I N T | O U D A I LY. C O M
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ELEVENWARRIORS.COM, GRAPHIC BY AUSTIN CARRIERE
Alex Grinch has been named OU defensive coordinator. Grinch was previously the co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State and defensive coordinator before that.
CAN THE GRINCH SAVE DEFENSE?
Sooners’ new defensive coordinator sets sights high
J
ust 45 minutes after Ohio St at e b e at Wa s h i n g t o n 28-23 in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day, Alex Grinch called his dad, Greg. “Dad,” said the then-Buckeye co-defensive coordinator, “I’m going to Oklahoma.” Three days later, it was official: The defensive-minded coach from Grove City, Ohio, was headed to Norman in an attempt to restore a once historically great defensive program. It’s a job he’s been waiting for. “He’s ready for it,” said Greg, w h o’s r e t i r e d a n d l i v e s i n Columbia, Missouri. “This is what he’s wanted. It’s another fantastic opportunity for him to show his ability, and he’s going to do great.” Grinch is of football blood, being the nephew of former Missouri head coach Gar y Pinkel. He’s also the son of a retired Marine, which has taught him discipline and determination to be the best at his job. He’s exceeded expectations everywhere, from winning three Division III national championships at safety at Mount Union in Ohio to turning around Mike Leach and Washington State’s defense in just three seasons. At 38, he relates to players thanks to his simple, but creative defensive scheme and his unwavering passion to win. He’s exactly who Lincoln Riley has been looking for. He’s exactly what Oklahoma needs. “I think he’s special,” Pinkel said. “He’s an absolutely outstanding man and coach. I think he will be a difference-maker at Oklahoma.” THE PRINCIPAL’S KID Alex got called into the principal’s office only once in his life. He hit a kid in the head with a snowball — or an “iceball,” according to Greg — while waiting in line at the bus stop in Grove City. Unfortunately for Alex, the principal was his dad. “Alex’s claim to this day was that they were both participating,” said Greg, who served as the principal at Park Street Middle School in Grove City. “I had to give him detention.” Greg has always been a discipline-minded father, serving
GEORGE STOIA • @GEORGESTOIA in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. He instilled in his sons — Alex and Andrew — the belief that if they always work hard at what they do, success will follow. “I always taught them, ‘Do your job,’” Greg said. “It’s amazing how far you will go when you are doing and exceeding what you are supposed to do. Most people don’t. And if you want to stand out, do the job you were hired to do. That’s why Alex has been successful. He does his job.” Alex took that to heart as a kid. Whether it was in the classroom or on the football field, he did his job day in and day out. He didn’t start playing football until middle school and was undersized for his age, but he was one of the best players on his youth team. He often played up with his older brother and friends, who were two and a half years older than him. He played quarterback and safety, eventually continuing his career at Grove City High School, where he quickly became one of the best players on that team, as well.
“I think he’s special. He’s an absolutely outstanding man and coach. I think he will be a difference-maker at Oklahoma.” GARY PINKEL, GRINCH’S UNCLE AND FORMER MISSOURI HEAD COACH
His mom, Kathy, remembers him coming home after workouts and practice saying, “I like to sweat, I like to sweat.” He enjoyed every aspect of the game, but especially the grind to be a great player. This led him to earn an academic scholarship to the University of Mount Union, a Division III school in Alliance, Ohio, that prided itself on football, winning three national championships before he arrived. Greg said Alex had the opportunity to attend a number of
other schools, but wanted to go somewhere it mattered — somewhere that won. “He’s a high-character young man, which was clear in his recruitment process,” said Larry Kehres, who coached Alex at Mount Union and won 11 national titles in 27 seasons. Now the athletics director at Mount Union, he’s considered one of the greatest coaches in college football history. “He’s passionate about football. I think he had a desire to be a football coach from the moment he started playing the game.” During his time at Mount Union, Alex helped the Purple R a i d e r s w i n t h re e nat i o na l championships and post a 54-1 record, starting at safety his junior and senior years. He wasn’t afraid of big moments, coming up with the eventual game-winning interception his junior year in the national championship. From learning his lesson in the principal’s office, to becoming the best player on his youth and high school teams to winning three national championships, Alex has always stayed focused on his job. He does everything to the best of his ability, and those who know him best say that won’t stop at Oklahoma. “He will exceed expectations or it kills him,” Greg said. “He’s used to those high expectations. Whether it be at Mount Union, Missouri, Washington State, Ohio State or Oklahoma — he’s got that ‘We’re here to win’ mentality.” THE GROUNDSKEEPER After graduating from Mount Union in 2001, Alex wanted to coach. Pinkel — the brother of Alex’s mom, Kathy — saw promise in his young nephew and offered him a graduate assistant spot at Missouri. He soon thrived. “He got along with everyone really well,” Pinkel said. “He’s very competitive, very demanding, but understanding. There’s a line there. He wants things done in certain ways, and kids like him because he’s very sincere. He’s honest and patient. He demands excellence.” A l e x ’s b r o t h e r, A n d r e w , will never forget his
brother’s other job at Missouri — groundskeeper. While Alex was on the Tigers’ staff as a graduate assistant from 2002-04, he also had the task of painting the practice fields. It was a tireless chore, but nevertheless, Alex did it every week without complaint. “I’ll never forget him coming back to our apartment covered in paint,” said Andrew, who was working in Missouri’s athletics marketing department at the time. “He didn’t mind it, though. If that’s what it took, that’s what it took.”
“He’s passionate about football. I think he had a desire to be a football coach from the moment he started playing the game.” LARYY KEHRES , FORMER MOUNT UNION COACH
It was that attitude that got Alex his first job at New Hampshire in 2005 as the cornerbacks coach, his second at Wyoming in 2009 as the defensive backs coach and eventually led him back to Missouri with his uncle in 2012, despite Pinkel’s original plan to never hire relatives as assistants. Before the 2013 season, Pinkel and his staff needed to fill a coaching gap on the defensive side of the ball. Pinkel was reluctant to hire Alex because of their relation, even though he knew how talented of a coach he had become. That changed when three different coaches urged Pinkel to re-hire his nephew in a 30-minute span. “All those coaches must have planned it because they all came in my office within 10 minutes of each other, telling me I needed to hire Alex back,” Pinkel said. “I knew he was exceptional. If I hadn’t been so stubborn, I would have hired him way earlier. But it all worked out, and he helped us tremendously.” Alex spent the next two
seasons on his uncle’s staff as the safeties coach, helping the Tigers go from 68th in total defense in 2012 to 20th in 2014, before receiving a call from Mike Leach and Washington State ahead of the 2015 season to be the Cougars’ next defensive coordinator. Leach saw that same drive Pinkel did years ago. He saw that same kid who was willing to do whatever it took, even if that meant painting the practice fields. “He’s got three things: He’s smart, he’s competitive and he loves football,” Pinkel said. “In order to be a great coach, you have to be a great competitor. I think he’s driven to be successful. He has the unique ability to connect with kids, and I think that’s because of his passion. He’s a guy that can get the best out of people, and that’s because of his personality and the type of guy he is.” THE INNOVATOR Isaac Dotson remembers the first time he met Alex. It was on an elevator during Alex’s official tour of the Washington State facilities. “You could feel his passion for the game,” said Dotson, who played safety and linebacker at Washington State from 2014-17. “I don’t remember much else from the elevator ride other than thinking, ‘We’re in good hands.’” Grinch helped change the culture at Washington State. He held defensive players accountable and expected greatness. Before each season, Dotson recalls, Alex would give absurd statistics about what goals he wanted to achieve. The stats would include first downs allowed in a quarter, yards and turnovers per game, total defense in a season and much more. “There was no option,” Dotson said. “That was the standard. We had to achieve those goals.” In three seasons, he took the Cougars from 97th in total defense to 16th and from 127th in turnovers gained to 9th. He helped Washington State to a 26-13 record while in Pullman, See GRINCH page 2