Chris Grimes is in his second year at HCU, serving as special assistant to the head coach, running backs coach and special teams coordinator.
Grimes joined the Huskies staff in 2023 as special assistant to the head coach and helped guide HCU to its first winning season in program history. He came to HCU after one season as defensive backs coach at East Tennessee State. Grimes’ defensive backs unit ranked 31st in the nation in 2022 in interceptions, with 12, and coached all-American defensive back and Buck Buchanan Award finalist Alijah Huzzie.
From 2020 to 2021, Grimes coached at his alma mater, Tennessee Tech, leading the nickels and running backs while also serving as special teams coordinator. In 2021, Grimes coached running back David Gist to all-conference honors after rushing for 904 yards and eight touchdowns.
Prior to Tennessee Tech, Grimes spent four seasons at Gardner-Webb. He worked with the team’s defensive backs his first two seasons, coaching the Big South Freshman of the Year and a first team all-conference selection in 2016, before being elevated to the role of defensive coordinator for the Bulldogs for the next two. In 2018, Grimes coached a first team all-conference defensive lineman and another Freshman of the Year. As defensive coordinator for two seasons, he coached seven all-conference selections.
Grimes coached safeties at ETSU in 2015. Grimes was a defensive assistant at TTU from 2010-2014 after coaching in the high school ranks at LaVergne High School.
A fixture on the field at cornerback for Tennessee Tech, Grimes appeared in 39 games during his playing career and made 16 starts for the Golden Eagles from 2004-2007. He totaled 158 tackles for his career with seven fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, 16 passes defended and three interceptions.
Grimes graduated from TTU in 2008 with a degree in multidisciplinary studies and later earned a master’s from TTU in 2012.
