Penn hires former Johns Hopkins head coach Greg Chimera as offensive coordinator

Chimera arrives at Penn after guiding Johns Hopkins to one of its best seasons in program history. The team finished with 12-1 and a quarterfinal run in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Penn will have a new face running its offense this season following the appointment of Greg Chimera as offensive coordinator.Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

by Kerith Gabriel

Published Jan. 4, 2024, 1:18 p.m. ET

Penn football coach Ray Priore is big on commitment.

On Thursday, Priore announced that Greg Chimera, who spent 14 years as a coach at Johns Hopkins, will become the Quakers’ new offensive coordinator. Chimera is leaving his role as the head coach at Hopkins, which he’s held for the last four seasons. Before that, he was the program’s offensive coordinator, among other responsibilities, for 10 seasons at his alma mater.

Chimera’s longevity at one program mimics Priore’s own. This year, Priore heads into his 37th year as a member of Penn’s coaching staff, his ninth as head coach after replacing longtime coach Al Bagnoli in 2015.

“We are very excited to welcome Greg into our Penn football family,” Priore said. “He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge from his time at Johns Hopkins. … Greg has a great vision for our offense and will continue to mold and mentor an already talented group of offensive players.”

Chimera arrives at Penn after guiding Johns Hopkins to one of its best seasons in program history. The team finished 12-1, collected a Centennial Conference title, and made it to the Division III quarterfinals. He was named coach of the year by the American Football Coaches Association’s Division III committee.

In his four seasons as the head coach at Hopkins, Chimera finished with a 40-7 record.

“I’d like to start by thanking [Penn athletic director] Alanna Shanahan, [assistant AD] Rudy Fuller, and Ray Priore for giving me this amazing opportunity,” Chimera said. “To work at one of the best schools in the world and for such a storied program is beyond exciting. My family and I are eager to get up to Philly and compete for Ivy League championships.”