Greg Chimera compiled a record of 40-7 in five years as head football coach at Johns Hopkins. Photo by Caleb Williams, d3photography.com

Greg Chimera, who has served as the James F. Margraff Head Coach of Football at Johns Hopkins since February 2019, announced today that he is stepping down to become the offensive coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania. A national search for his replacement will begin immediately.

"For nearly two decades, Greg Chimera has dedicated himself to the Johns Hopkins football program as a student-athlete, assistant coach and, most recently, as our head coach," Johns Hopkins athletic director Jennifer S. Baker stated. "He has been an incredible ambassador for the university, a trusted mentor to hundreds of young men and a highly-respected leader on our staff. While we will miss the energy, focus and passion with which Greg led our football program, we are thrilled for him and his family as they embark on this exciting chapter in his career. Penn is not only getting an outstanding coach, but they are welcoming someone who will be an exceptional representative of Quaker football."

Chimera's five-year, four-season tenure (2020 season canceled due to COVID) at Johns Hopkins included success at the highest level for his Blue Jays both on the field and in the classroom. He departs with a 40-7 (.851) overall record with two trips to the NCAA playoffs (2021, 2023), two Centennial Conference titles (2021, 2023) and two Centennial-MAC Bowl Championships (2019, 2022). His 40 victories rank third in Johns Hopkins history, while his .851 winning percentage is by far the highest in program history.

Under Chimera's guidance, Johns Hopkins set an all-divisions, all-sport record with eight College Sports Communicators/CoSIDA Academic All-Americans in 2021, added six in 2022 and has totaled a national-best 18 Academic All-Americans since 2020. In short, no college football coach at any level coached more Academic All-Americans from 2020-22 than Greg Chimera; the 2023 Academic All-America Team will be announced on January 23, 2024.

In addition, eight Johns Hopkins players combined to earn 12 D3football.com All-America nods, two players were national finalists for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy and two were named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team since Chimera's appointment in 2019.

"I would like to thank the entire Johns Hopkins community, especially director of athletics Jen Baker, for the support and guidance along my coaching journey at Homewood," Chimera noted. "To my assistant coaches, former teammates, trainers, strength staff and most importantly the scholar athletes, the relationships we have built are the reason that I coach; I consider myself fortunate for the lifelong friendships I have made since arriving at Johns Hopkins in 2005."

Chimera spent 10 seasons as a member of the Blue Jay coaching staff prior to being elevated to head coach, including five as the team's offensive coordinator (2014-18). He originally joined Jim Margraff's staff not long after completing a four-year playing career at Johns Hopkins (2005-08).

Johns Hopkins has enjoyed the greatest run in program history since Chimera joined the staff in 2009. In the 14 seasons since then, Johns Hopkins has posted a 142-24 (.855) record, won 12 Centennial Conference titles (2009-18, 2021, 2023), advanced to the NCAA playoffs 11 times and lost a total of just 13 regular season games.

"Johns Hopkins has been a huge part of my life for the past 18 years and that won't change moving forward," Chimera noted. "The next phase will be as a proud alum and the team's biggest fan. I have no doubt the 2024 season and beyond will be special and the men who represent the program will only continue to raise the standard for what it means to be a Hopkins football player."