Matt Limegrover


Matt Limegrover is an American football coach who most recently served as the run game coordinator and offensive line coach for the Penn State Nittany Lions.

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. He attended Central Catholic High School and graduated from the University of Chicago in 1991 and holds a master's degree from Northwestern University. Limegrover interned with the Major League Baseball team Chicago White Sox with classmate Kim Ng a high ranking MLB executive.

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.

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. 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.
From there Limegrover served as the run game coordinator and offensive line coach for Division II Ferris State in 1997 and 1998. 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.
As offensive coordinator from 2001–2007 Limegrover guided FCS Southern Illinois to six consecutive seasons finishing top ten in scoring, nationally. 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.
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.
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. 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. Limegrover and the Nittany Lions team would experience more success in the 2017 season, going 11-2 and finishing with a Fiesta Bowl victory. 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. 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. 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.

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