Texas Longhorns Football: Auburn OL Coach Jeff Grimes Is Staying with the Tigers

Auburn offensive line coach Jeff Grimes announced this morning to the Auburn Bureau and the Birmingham News that he is not interested in the Texas offensive line job and will remain at Auburn for the 2011-2012 season.

Grimes built a quick reputation at Auburn as a quality technical coach, helping each of the Tigers' linemen play at their highest level, protecting quarterback Cam Newton and helping the Auburn offense power the team's run to a national championship.

He arrived in Austin last Thursday among great fanfare and attention from local Austin sports media only to return to Alabama on Friday without any formal announcement being made regarding his status with Texas. Apparently, he wasn't impressed enough.

According to Grimes, "The University of Texas has a great football program and I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mack Brown," further noting, "As a Texas native, the position was very enticing, however, I have decided to remain at Auburn. My family and I love being a part of the Auburn family, the Auburn community and this football program."

So where does Mack Brown turn for Plan B?

Two potential interviews to come would be with Oklahoma State's Joe Wickline, who has been mentioned as a candidate for the position since the beginning, and with Boise State's Chris Strausser, who has close ties with new Longhorns co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin.

Another potential dark-horse candidate would be the Arkansas Razorbacks' offensive line coach Chris Klenakis, who would fit Mack Brown's trend toward hiring energetic coaches. Klenakis has recently denied any interest in the position, but as any sports fan knows, talk can mean very little.

Grimes' decision to stay at Auburn is not all that surprising. Very few coaches will walk away from a position on an elite staff, regardless of the opportunity presented. Especially if it is a lateral move.

Texas must find the right person for this position. The offensive line coach will anchor the efforts of Harsin and Applewhite as they re-shape the Texas offense.

The hire also is very urgent due to the upcoming open recruiting season and the pending commitment of Christian Westerman.

Expect to see interviews in the next few days and an announcement made in the very near future.