Jim Knowles, Jeff Grimes Named Semifinalists for Broyles Award
The semifinalists for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach, were named today and two Big 12 coordinators made the list. Baylor Offensive Coordinator Jeff Grimes and Oklahoma State Defensive Coordinator Jim Knowles have both helped their respective teams to be frontrunners for the Big 12 Championship at season’s end and they deserve all the credit in the world for doing so. The entire list of semifinalists is as follows (Big 12 Coaches in Bold):
| Arkansas – Cody Kennedy | Offensive Line |
| Baylor – Jeff Grimes | Offensive Coordinator/TE’s |
| Cincinnati – Mike Denbrock | Offensive Coordinator/TE’s |
| Houston – Doug Belk | Assoc. HC/ Def. Coord./Safeties |
| Ohio State – Kevin Wilson | Offensive Coordinator |
| Oklahoma State – Jim Knowles | Defensive Coordinator |
| Ole Miss – Jeff Lebby | Offensive Coordinator/QB’s |
| Pittsburgh – Mark Whipple | Offensive Coordinator/QB’s |
| Texas A&M – Mike Elko | Defensive Coordinator/Safeties |
| Georgia – Dan Lanning, Fain & Billy Slaughter | Defensive Coordinator/OLB’s |
| Iowa – Phil Parker | Defensive Coordinator/ DB’s |
| Michigan – Jeff Gattis | Offensive Coordinator/ WR’s |
| UTSA- Jess Leopp | Co-Defensive Coordinator |
| Wake Forest – Warren Ruggiero | Offensive Coordinator/QB’s |
| Wisconsin – Jim Leonhard | Defensive Coordinator |
Neither Baylor nor Oklahoma State were picked to win the Big 12 in 2021, and there is a good chance that they both end up in the final game in Arlington on December 4. That is largely because of what Grimes and Knowles have been able to get out of their units this year.
The list of semifinalists will be trimmed down to five finalists soon, and then the five finalists will attend a two-day event in Little Rock, Arkansas on December 6-7. The winner of the award will be announced during a ceremony on the 7th.
