PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania football team has found its new offensive coordinator and Clarence S. Rockwell, VMD Quarterbacks Coach in Greg Chimera (pronounced kim-AIR-uh), announced by George A. Munger Head Coach Ray Priore on Thursday morning.
 
"We are very excited to welcome Greg into our Penn Football Family," said Priore. "He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge from his time at Johns Hopkins and we think he will be a perfect fit for our program.
 
"Greg has a great vision for our offense and will continue to mold and mentor an already talented group of offensive players. We are eager to see what Greg has in store for the upcoming spring in preparation for our 2024 season."
 
Chimera brings 14 years of coaching experience at Johns Hopkins University to Penn following a four-year stint as head coach and 10 seasons as offensive coordinator (2014-18), wide receivers coach (2013) and running backs/tight ends coach (2009-2012).
 
"I'd like to start by thanking Alanna Shanahan, 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.
 
"Thank you to the entire Johns Hopkins community, especially Jen Baker, for the support and guidance along my coaching journey at JHU. To my assistant coaches, former teammates and scholar athletes: the relationships are the reason I coach, and I feel so fortunate for the lifelong friendships I have made over the years."
 
Chimera was named JHU's head coach on Feb. 22, 2019 to succeed the late Jim Margraff, the program's all-time winningest coach, who passed away suddenly on Jan. 2, 2019. In four seasons at the helm of the program, Chimera led the Blue Jays to a 40-7 record, two Centennial Conference titles, two trips to the NCAA playoffs, a pair of Centennial-MAC Bowl victories and was the 2023 AFCA Division III Region 2 Coach of the Year.
 
Four players won a total of five Centennial Conference major awards during Chimera's tenure including Luke Schuermann as Defensive Player of the Year (2021-22), Ryan Stevens as Offensive Player of the Year (2022), Michael Nwosu as Rookie of the Year (2022) and Cole Crotty as Rookie of the Year (2023).
 
In 2023, Chimera led Hopkins to one of its most successful seasons in program history. The Blue Jays finished 12-1, with a Centennial Conference title and a trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals. The 12 wins tied a program record for single-season victories and the 12-0 start is the best-ever at JHU. Earning Centennial Conference Staff of the Year honors for the first time, Chimera was also named AFCA Division III Region 2 Coach of the Year for his leadership.
 
Under Chimera's guidance, Hopkins went 10-1 in 2022, finishing 8-1 in Centennial play. The Blue Jays started the year 7-0 featuring back-to-back shutout victories over Juniata (70-0) and Moravian (54-0). JHU topped Stevenson, 27-7, in the season finale to claim the Centennial-MAC Bowl. The program led the nation with six Academic All-Americans with a program-record five players earning All-America honors.
 
The 2021 season saw the Blue Jays post a 10-2 record with a share of the Centennial title and an appearance in the second round of the NCAAs.  Hopkins, which ended the season with final national rankings of 13th (AFCA) and 14th (D3football.com), produced three All-Americans and a national-record eight CoSIDA Academic All-Americans on the year.
 
In his first season at the helm in 2019, Chimera guided the Blue Jays to an 8-3 record and a 51-28 victory at Stevenson in the Centennial-MAC Bowl Series; the eight wins are the most ever for a first-year Johns Hopkins coach. With a 17-12 win at Randolph-Macon in the 2019 season opener, Chimera also became the first Johns Hopkins head coach in 99 years to earn a win in his debut (Ray Van Orman - 1920).
 
Chimera spent ten seasons as a member of the Blue Jay coaching staff prior to being elevated to head coach, including five as offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2018. In the 14 seasons since he joined the staff in 2009, Hopkins posted a 130-23 (.850) record, won twelve Centennial Conference titles (2009-18, 2021, 2023) and lost just 13 regular season games.
 
His guidance was crucial in Johns Hopkins completing its greatest season in school history in 2018 with a 12-2 record, achieving a 10th straight Centennial title and the program's first-ever trip to the NCAA semifinals. The Blue Jays set a school record with 12 wins, earning the program's first-ever Lambert Cup Trophy. That season, Chimera's offense averaged 550.3 yards and 45.8 points per game, both school-record marks. The fast-paced offense ran more plays (1,051) for more yards (7,704) than any other team in the nation on its way to the national semifinals.
 
Chimera played fullback and was a regular on special teams throughout his playing career at Johns Hopkins. He scored five touchdowns in his career and started 16 games over his final two seasons.
 
He graduated from JHU in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in psychological and brain sciences, minoring in entrepreneurship and management.
 
Chimera comes to University City by way of Towson, Md. with his wife, Allison and sons, Teddy and Charlie.
 
THE CHIMERA FILE
Offensive Coordinator/Clarence S. Rockwell, VMD Quarterbacks – Penn, 2024-present
James F. Margraff Head Football Coach – Johns Hopkins, 2019-23
Offensive Coordinator – Johns Hopkins, 2014-18
Wide Receivers – Johns Hopkins, 2013
Running Backs/Tight Ends – Johns Hopkins, 2009-12
 
Hometown – Gaithersburg, Md.
Family – Wife, Allison; Son, Teddy; Son, Charlie
 
Education
2009 B.S. – Johns Hopkins