Matt Limegrover

Matt Limegrover (born November 26, 1968) is an American football coach who most recently served as the run game coordinator and offensive line coach for the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Matt Limegrover
Current position
TitleAnalyst
TeamMichigan Wolverines
Biographical details
Born (1968-11-26) November 26, 1968
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Alma materUniversity of Chicago
Playing career
1987–1990Chicago
Position(s)Offensive Line
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1991–1993Chicago (OC/OL/TE)
1994Chicago (Interim HC)
1995–1996Northwestern (GA)
1997–1998Ferris State (OL)
1999–2000Emporia State (OL)
2001–2007Southern Illinois (OC/OL)
2008–2010Northern Illinois (OC/OL)
2011–2015Minnesota (AHC/OC/OL)
2016–2019Penn State (OL)
2020-PresentMichigan (Analyst)

Early life

Limegrover a Pittsburgh, Pa., native, began playing football in the fourth grade for the father of former Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead.[1] He attended Central Catholic High School and graduated from the University of Chicago in 1991 and holds a master's degree from Northwestern University.[2] Limegrover interned with the Major League Baseball team Chicago White Sox with classmate Kim Ng a high ranking MLB executive.[3]

College playing career

Limegrover was a 6–2, 265-pound lineman for the NCAA Division III Chicago Maroons from 1987–90 and was Honorable Mention All-UAA in 1990.[2][4][5]

Coaching career

From 1991–1994, Limegrover spent his first four years of his coaching career at his alma mater Chicago, serving in a variety of roles that included interim head coach, offensive coordinator, offensive line coach and tight ends coach.[6] The following two seasons Limegrover served as a graduate assistant for the Northwestern Wildcats and head coach Gary Barnett who won back-to-back Big Ten Championships in 1995 and 1996.[7]

From there Limegrover served as the run game coordinator and offensive line coach for Division II Ferris State in 1997 and 1998.[6] The next two seasons Limegrover would serve as the offensive line coach for Division II Emporia State and head coach Jerry Kill who he would work under for the next 17 seasons.[8]

As offensive coordinator from 2001–2007 Limegrover guided FCS Southern Illinois to six consecutive seasons finishing top ten in scoring, nationally.[6] From there serving as the offensive coordinator for FBS Northern Illinois, Limegrover helped the Huskies to three consecutive bowl appearances and the 2010 MAC West title.[6]

From 2011 to 2015, Limegrover spent five seasons at Minnesota as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. He held the title of assistant head coach his last two seasons with the Gophers. After coach Jerry Kill was forced to retire because of epilepsy with five games remaining in the 2015 season, defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys was named as Minnesota's head coach. One day after the conclusion of the 2015 season coach Claeys fired offensive coordinator Limegrover and quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski to make a change that better fit his offensive philosophy.[9]

In mid-December Limegrover turned down the head coaching job at Southern Illinois and on January 13, 2016 he was hired as the offensive line coach for Penn State and head coach James Franklin.[9][10] Limegrover spent four seasons at Penn State during which time he saw his offensive line unit help the Nittany Lions capture the 2016 Big Ten title.[11] Limegrover and the Nittany Lions team would experience more success in the 2017 season, going 11-2 and finishing with a Fiesta Bowl victory.[12] In 2018, Penn State saw its best rushing production in 10 years, averaging 204.9 yards per game. That was good enough to finish 29th nationally, and fifth in the Big Ten.[13] That season the offensive line was led by center Connor McGovern, who was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and tackle Ryan Bates.[14] Despite an 11-2 record and Penn State putting up nearly 400 rushing yards in a victory over Memphis in the Cotton Bowl Classic, the Nittany Lions did not renew Limegrover's contract at the conclusion of the 2019 season.[15][16]

Personal
  • M.S., Northwestern, 2000
  • B.S., University of Chicago, 1994
  • High School Pittsburgh Central Catholic, 1987

References
  1. Han, Giana."Penn State football coaches Joe Moorhead and Matt Limegrover share more than a love for offense ", The Daily Collegian, April 15, 2016, retrieved February 6, 2018.
  2. Gross, Mike."Surgery gave Penn State OL coach control of weight, life ", LancasterOnline.com, April 9, 2016, retrieved February 5, 2018.
  3. Miller, Phil."New boss of offense to analyze, organize", Star Tribune, January 29, 2011, retrieved February 5, 2018.
  4. Christensen, Joe."Gophers football assistant Limegrover: From 403 pounds to 'a totally different person'", Star Tribune, May 12, 2013, retrieved February 5, 2018.
  5. Penn State Profile, gopsusports.com, retrieved February 6, 2018.
  6. "Kill Announces Hiring of Claeys, Limegrover", gophersorts.com, retrieved February 6, 2018.
  7. Poorman, Mike.Lone Nittany Lion Repeat Visitor: Matt Limegrover's First Trip to the Rose Bowl, StateCollege.com, December 30, 2016, retrieved February 8, 2018.
  8. Levarse, Derek."Penn State hires ex-Minnesota coordinator Matt Limegrover to coach offensive line ", Times Leader, January 13, 2016, retrieved February 6, 2018.
  9. Greder, Andy."Penn State hires former Gophers assistant Matt Limegrover", St. Paul Pioneer Press, January 12, 2016, retrieved February 6, 2018.
  10. Moyer, Josh."Matt Limegrover 'revitalized and re-energized' as Penn State assistant", ESPN, March 29, 2016, retrieved February 9,2019.
  11. Lungaro, Vincent."Penn State football wins Big Ten Championship with second-half surge", Daily Collegian, December 3, 2016, retrieved January 8, 2020.
  12. Rubin, Andrew."How Penn State football avoided a repeat of last year's Rose Bowl to bury Washington in the 2017 Fiesta Bowl", Daily Collegian, December 30, 2017, retrieved January 8, 2020.
  13. DiPaola, Jerry."Penn State fires offensive line coach Matt Limegrover", TribLive, December 31, 2019, retrieved January 8, 2020.
  14. Ferree, Benjamin."Penn State football's Connor McGovern drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 3rd round", Daily Collegian,April 26, 2019, retrieved January 8, 2020.
  15. Wilfinger, Caleb."“Everybody eats”: How Penn State football’s mantra in the running back room came full circle in victory over Memphis", Daily Collegian, December 28, 2019, retrieved January 8, 2020
  16. RLR Staff (December 31, 2019). "Report: Matt Limegrover Out As Penn State Offensive Line Coach". www.roarlionsroar.com. 2019 Roar Lions Roar LLC. Archived from the original on December 31, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
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