| Alex Grinch | |
| Current Title: | Co-defensive coordinator / Safeties coach |
| Current Team: | Wisconsin |
| Current Conference: | Big Ten |
| Birth Date: | 29 May 1980 |
| Birth Place: | Grove City, Ohio, U.S. |
| Player Years1: | 1998–2001 |
| Player Team1: | Mount Union |
| Player Positions: | Strong safety[1] |
| Coach Years1: | 2002–2004 |
| Coach Team1: | Missouri (GA)[2] |
| Coach Years2: | 2005–2006 |
| Coach Team2: | New Hampshire (CB) |
| Coach Years3: | 2007–2008 |
| Coach Team3: | New Hampshire (DB/RC) |
| Coach Years4: | 2009–2011 |
| Coach Team4: | Wyoming (DB/RC) |
| Coach Years5: | 2012–2014 |
| Coach Team5: | Missouri (S)[3] |
| Coach Years6: | 2015–2017 |
| Coach Team6: | Washington State (DC/DB) |
| Coach Years7: | 2018 |
| Coach Team7: | Ohio State (co-DC/S) |
| Coach Years8: | 2019–2021 |
| Coach Team8: | Oklahoma (DC/S) |
| Coach Years9: | 2022–2023 |
| Coach Team9: | USC (DC/S) |
| Coach Years10: | 2024–present |
| Coach Team10: | Wisconsin (co-DC/S) |
Alexander Gregory Grinch (born May 29, 1980) is an American football coach who is currently the safeties coach for the Wisconsin Badgers. He previously served as the defensive coordinator at the University of Southern California (USC), the University of Oklahoma, Ohio State University and Washington State University. Grinch is a four-time nominee for the Broyles Award (given to the nation’s top assistant coach) and was a semifinalist in 2017 and 2019.[4] Grinch has also served as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri, the University of Wyoming, and the University of New Hampshire.
Grinch played defensive back at Mount Union College from 1998 to 2001.[5] During that time, Mount Union amassed a record of 54–1 and won three NCAA Division III Football Championships. Grinch graduated from Mount Union in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in sport management.[6]
From 2002 to 2004, Grinch was a graduate assistant under Gary Pinkel at the University of Missouri, and he completed his master's degree in educational leadership and policy analysis at Missouri in 2004.
Grinch's first regular assistant coaching job was at Division I-AA New Hampshire under Sean McDonnell. In 2005 and 2006, Grinch was the cornerbacks coach. After a promotion, Grinch became the recruiting coordinator and coached the entire defensive secondary in 2007 and 2008. Chip Kelly was the OC at New Hampshire and Grinch learned the value of practicing fast from competing against him every day.[7]
Grinch spent three seasons at Wyoming as the recruiting coordinator and coaching the secondary.
Again working under Pinkel, Grinch coached the safeties at Missouri from 2012 to 2014.
From 2015 to 2017, Grinch was the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Washington State under Mike Leach.
In January 2018, Grinch joined Urban Meyer's staff at Ohio State as co-defensive coordinator.[8]
In January 2019, Grinch joined Lincoln Riley's staff at Oklahoma as defensive coordinator.[9] He spent three years with the Sooners and was able to help a defense that finished 101st in scoring defense and 130th in passing defense, under former defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, who would be fired after giving up 48 points to rival Texas.[10]
In November 2021, Grinch followed Riley after he was hired to be the next head coach at USC, serving in the same capacity as before.[11] At USC he inherited a Trojan defensive roster that in 2021 finished as one of the worst units statistically in program history, ranking 103rd in scoring defense and well below average in all other categories.[12] After a promising three game start to the year, the Trojan defense allowed 293 points over the next seven game stretch and fell to 7–3. Of these seven games, opponents scored over 41 points five times. [13] On November 5, 2023, Grinch was fired as USC's defensive coordinator. [14]
In February 2024, Grinch joined Luke Fickell's staff at Wisconsin as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.[15]
Grinch grew up in Grove City, Ohio and graduated from Grove City High School. In 2003, he married Rebecca Blaser. They have two children.[16] He is the nephew of longtime Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel, under whom Grinch worked as a graduate assistant and safeties coach.[17]