Fort Lewis College Athletics

Recruiting Areas: Colorado, Arizona

John Grinde is heading into his fourth season as the offensive coordinator for Fort Lewis College in 2025. Grinde joined the Skyhawks in 2022 after spending two seasons as the Offensive Coordinator at Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska.
 
Skyhawks football turned a corner in 2024, as the program earned a 3-8 overall record and a 2-7 mark against RMAC competition. Fort Lewis got back on track with a win over Arizona Christian (Sept. 14) before later handling Adams State (Nov. 2) and New Mexico Highlands (Nov. 9) on back-to-back weekends to earn the program’s first conference wins since 2019. In addition, Fort Lewis finished in seventh place in the RMAC among ten conference teams.
 
The offense took a more balanced approach last year, improving its rushing game to 125.8 yards/game from its 65.5 yards/game the year prior. While the passing game supplied 154.6 yards/game, down 68.3 yards from the year before, the balanced approach maintained 280.5 yards of offense per game, leading to 201 total points (18.27 pts/game), the most for the program since 2018. Senior Jacob LaCroix (OL) and sophomore Cheilotam Udengwu (OL) were key figures up front for Fort Lewis, and the duo were rewarded with their second and first nods, respectively, to the All-RMAC Honorable Mention teams.
 
Fort Lewis' offense showed glimpses of its old self in 2023 as the Skyhawks tallied 300 or more yards of offense on six occasions for the first time since 2016 and scored the most points in a season since 2018 with 146. At the line of scrimmage, FLC improved in key offense metrics, including rushing yards per game (+21.7), passing yards per game (+52.31), and yards of total offense per game (+74.1).
 
Grinde's guidance in the trenches lifted LaCroix to his first All-RMAC Honorable Mention on the offensive line after losing three-year conference veteran and 2022 All-RMAC Honorable Mention Ryan Barkley. In addition, senior Peyton Monson (WR) also received an All-RMAC Honorable Mention nod. With Grinde's protection at the line, senior Braden Wingle (QB) was able to throw for the fifth-most yards (2,276) and completions (207) in the league.
 
Senior Julio Romo (OL) was also named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team; Romo – alongside linebacker Tristen Williams – was not only the Skyhawks first All-District honoree since 2011 but the first offensive lineman since 2003 to earn any Academic All-District/Region honor.
 
In 2022, Grinde's offense helped Fort Lewis improve its total offense by 42.9 yards per game and provided all three of the Skyhawks' All-RMAC Honorable Mention award winners: Zach Russell (TE), Ryan Barkley (OL), and Dylan Holt (WR).
 
Grinde has previous working experience with FLC head football coach Johnny Cox from their time together at UNC Pembroke (2016-2020). During his time with UNC Pembroke, Grinde coached seven All-Conference Academic Honor Roll recipients, an All-American while helping guide the team to the 2016 NCAA DII playoffs, making it to the second round.
 
As a graduate assistant at the University of Central Missouri, where he helped coach the offensive line, tight ends, and running backs over three years, he saw plenty of success with an appearance in the Live United Texarkana Bowl, along with coaching two All-Region and All-American performers.
 
Grinde brings a wealth of experience, having coached four different positions while also competing in the NCAA DII playoffs as a wide receiver at the University of Central Missouri. He knows the game very well and also comes from a quality football background as his father is a former college offensive line coach and is currently the Head Football Coach at Air Academy High School in Colorado Springs, CO.
 
A four-year dean’s list honoree, Grinde earned his bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Central Missouri and went on to earn his master’s degree in Kinesiology from UCM in 2015.