Minnesota Vikings make another assistant coaching hire in an important category they needed to tap into

Kevin O’Connell continues to bring in new voices into his offensive staff.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
Add as preferred source on Google
Dec 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell during the first half at MetLife Stadium.
Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings offense was brutal in 2025, posting the worst EPA/dropback this century, according to Locked On Vikings via TruMedia. They have made another coaching hire to head coach Kevin O’Connell‘s staff by hiring Kentucky Wildcats run game coordinator Derek Warehime to be their assistant offensive line coach.

This is the second offensive coach hired outside of the building after they hired Frank Smith from the Miami Dolphins to be assistant head coach.

Vikings hire Derek Warehime to be assistant offensive line coach

It’s a very interesting hire for the Vikings, as Warehime comes from the college ranks, where he spent 21 seasons coaching. He started out as a student assistant at Tulsa in 2005 and got his first Division 1 top assistant job in 2010 as the offensive line coach for Sam Houston State.

Warehime joined the Wildcats this offseason to be the run game coordinator for new head coach Will Stein after the two worked together in 2017 with the Texas Longhorns. The last three years saw Warehime spend as the offensive line coach at Coastal Carolina, where the only success they had on offense in 2025 was on the ground.

They finished middle of the pack in the country with 0.03 EPA/rush, but had an 8.7 percent explosive play rate on the ground, ranking in the 76th percentile. He understands how to generate explosive plays on the ground, and that is something the Vikings need to add to their unit, after finishing 15th in EPA/rush and eighth in success rate.

O’Connell finding a way to go outside of the organization for this hire is a good thing, as the running game was getting stale. The hope is that adding new voices to the room will fix a run game that has become stagnant across the board. It’s not a guarantee that it will work, but it’s great to see O’Connell making an effort in trying something new.

Related Articles