AU FOOTBALL: Grimes takes calmer approach

There’s a method behind Jeff Grimes’ lack of madness.

Grimes, Auburn’s new offensive line coach, doesn’t raise his voice if he doesn’t have to. He doesn’t lambaste every player who misses a block or lines up a smidge out of position.

He doesn’t do it the “Nall way,” as offensive guard Mike Berry described it, comparing Grimes to Auburn’s previous offensive line coach Hugh Nall.

“Nall was going to get after you. That’s just the type of guy he was. You gotta love that,” Berry said. “Grimes, I would say, is more balanced. He’s a pretty easy-going guy. He’s going to coach you hard but he knows how far to go.”

That’s not to say Grimes won’t unleash a tear-inducing tirade from time to time.

He picks and chooses his spots.

“I think kids need different things at different times,” Grimes said. “Some guys need a kick in the pants, some guys need an arm around the neck. The very same kid might need both right next to each other.”

Opelika-Auburn News Auburn beat writer Andrew Gribble recently caught up with Grimes at an Auburn passing camp. Here are some excerpts from the interview.

Opelika-Auburn News: There’s been a lot of talk about recruiting this offseason. What are your thoughts about that?

Jeff Grimes: I think in this part of the country, obviously, it’s bigger than it is everywhere else. I’ve been in the Big 12 and Pac-10 and I’ve recruited all over, but there is nothing like recruiting in the SEC. I think what makes it different is the passion people have for it.

The other thing that’s caused it to evolve recently has to do with the media and technology. The fact that we can get on a computer and see what kids are saying, and the kids can e-mail us or Facebook us, and we can do that with them. There’s just more communication that’s taking place then has ever been done before.

OAN: You know how to Facebook?

JG: I’m one of these guys that I can get good at whatever I need to get good at on the computer. Somebody might ask me ‘Do you know how to do this?’ I’ll say ‘No I don’t, but show me how and then I’ll figure out how to do it just to the level I need to and no further.’

But I have learned how to Facebook. I’m not Twittering yet, but I’ve learned how to Facebook. And that’s great for some kids, and other kids don’t do it at all. It’s just another way to communicate with kids, but it is great.

OAN: What type of recruiter do you consider yourself to be?

JG: I’m probably somewhere in between. I’m not very loud or the most outgoing guy, but I’m not quiet and laidback either. I think what I really try to do is get to know the kids. At any position, recruiting is about relationships, but more so with the offensive line because O-linemen are a little bit different kid. Those kids don’t get the name in the paper and they don’t score the touchdown and they’re not on ESPN highlights.

OAN: What type of coach do you consider yourself to be?

JG: I have two degrees in education so I see myself as a teacher first. However, I think there is a real art to motivation. I think kids need different things at different times. Some guys need a kick in the pants, some guys need an arm around the neck. The very same kid might need both right next to each other.

OAN: So do you consider yourself to be different, especially as a more cerebral offensive line coach?

JG: Oh, I don’t know. I think there are different coaches at every position. I don’t see it as one position any more so than the other. I know some old-school coaches that yell and scream, but I know some very cerebral offensive line coaches that don’t do the yelling and screaming. I think you’ve just got to be true to yourself and do what fits you. Regardless of what you do, you better find a way to relate to the kids and motivate them.

OAN: Do you plan to go a little easier on your linemen this fall because of the lack of depth?

JG: It will impact what we do in the fall. You can still be competitive and you can still work hard, but maybe gear things away from as much situations where they might get hurt. For example, instead of a full team drill, you might choose an inside running drill. Maybe you do five more minutes of that and less full team. The fewer bodies you have around, the less opportunity you have in guys running into each other. We want to hit, we want to go hard, but we’ve got to be smart about it, too.

OAN: So it won’t be as rough as spring practice?

JG: Yeah, plus we needed to set a tone this spring.

OAN: While lacking depth, the offensive line appears to have the most stable first-teamers. Is that a good thing?

JG: Well, I would say right now it is, but I certainly won’t say that it won’t change. I know that everyone is better if they have competition, so I’m certainly going to do everything I can to promote competition in fall camp. We’ll have a couple guys back who were out for most of spring. And then we got two freshmen who we’re injecting into the lineup. So I’m going to do everything I can to promote some competition, but I’m not going to pretend it’s there if it’s not.

OAN: Ideally, would you like to redshirt freshmen John Sullen and Andre Harris?

JG: Absolutely, and I still would. I would love to redshirt every one of them. But we’ve got to find a way to get our best eight linemen ready to play and if they’re in that group, then they will be.

agribble@oanow.com | 737-2561