Kerry Coombs to Cinci w/Luke Fickell

Submitted by ypsituckyboy on

Looks like OSU's CB coach, Kerry Coombs, is headed to Cinci to be (presumably) Fickell's DC. Many on the board may not have heard of him, but he is regarded as one of the top recruiters in the country and has obviously done a good job with OSU's secondary during his tenure there. Definitely not a positive for OSU, although I'm sure Urban, like Harbaugh, is quite adept at hiring top notch replacements.

This is good news for UM for obvious reason, and bad news for a school like MSU. Could easily see Fickell/Coombs use their very strong Ohio ties to begin to poach the good players that are left in Ohio after OSU/UM have had their pick, which is a territory that D'Antonio and Co have done quite well in in the past.

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readyourguard

December 10th, 2016 at 12:32 PM ^

As much as Fickell gets made fun of, his defense made great 2nd half adjustments against us. I hope this move provides at least a minor bump in the road for Ohio State. I'm looking for anything.

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Leaders And Best

December 10th, 2016 at 1:12 PM ^

There is a reason OSU has brought in a new co-DC every time one leaves for a head coaching job: Fickell is not really the true DC. Everett Withers, Chris Ash, and now Greg Schiano is the real DC. Meyer kept him during the transition to help for recruiting in my belief.  And I bet you OSU will not be looking for a new DC with Fickell gone unless Schiano leaves.

I actually think we really shouldn't be celebrating this. Fickell was probably dead weight on the OSU staff, and Meyer will be able to replace him with a better coach. I also have my doubts about how good Coombs is as a coach.

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Leaders And Best

December 10th, 2016 at 1:18 PM ^

If OSU does not hire a new DC to replace Fickell, you will have your answer.

Most schools don't do this. Why was Fickell co-DC for so long? And every time his co-DC left, a new one was brought in to replace him? Read between the lines, and the answer is pretty clear. Every time OSU people talk about their defense in the last 5 years, no one even mentions Fickell. It has always been Schiano, Ash, or Withers.

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Leaders And Best

December 10th, 2016 at 1:27 PM ^

No one ever mentions Fickell as the DC even though he had been there longer than Schiano, Ash, and Withers. It has never been called HIS defense despite being the more senior co-DC. And why would you keep hiring new DCs when you have had one on staff for 10 years?

Like I said in the previous post above, you will have your answer when OSU makes its hire to replace him. My bet is it will not be a new DC. Schiano will be the sole DC because he already was except in name.

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Leaders And Best

December 11th, 2016 at 6:17 AM ^

Kerry Coombs has now been elevated to the Luke Fickell level. Dude is a recruiter and DC in name only. The title is just for a reputation and pay bump to keep him from leaving with Fickell. Urban doesn't want his whole staff of recruiters to be gutted at one time when he bringing in a class full of 5 stars. Even the release by Urban says he will have some input, making Coombs sound like the second banana.

But if he really lost his DC (Fickell), he would have hired someone from outside. Like when he hired Schiano to replace Ash. Or Ash to replace Withers. There is a reason all the players and media never refer to the defense being run by Fickell. It will probably be the same with Coombs. That position was never the real DC.

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Swazi

December 10th, 2016 at 2:59 PM ^

Guess Greg Mattison and/or Charlie Strong aren't that good.  Urban had then as co-DCs in Florida.

 

Urban has done this for awhile.  It's not because he doesn't trust someone.  It's so he has a smooth transition when he loses coordinators as often as he usually does.  One leaves, the other is still in the loop to keep the new guy plugged in fast.

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Squash34

December 10th, 2016 at 2:14 PM ^

Is not that he is total dead weight, but is dead weight as a "cordnator". He is clearly good as a lb position coach. However, he was "co" cordnator with 3 other guys and never promoted to cordnator when two others left. To me, that is telling in regards to how actually runs the defense. Particularly on game day.

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TrueBlue2003

December 10th, 2016 at 1:23 PM ^

our abysmal offense in 2013? Hey, at least they got the 2pt conversion stopped.

Seriously though, our offenses have pretty significantly outperformed expectations against them the past six years overall.  Hokes teams destroyed them at the big house, and did fine in his two trips to the Shoe, but certainly worse in the second half as you point out.

2015 doesn't really count since Rudock went out early in the third.  And a couple weeks ago, ugh, I mean, I guess they were better in the second half.  Although Speight fumbling on the one wasn't really defense caused.  Let's say the pick was a nice defensive call, then we just put the offense in the garage it seemed like, trying to lean on the defense and keep Speight from doing something stupid again.

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Squash34

December 10th, 2016 at 2:23 PM ^

The more accurate way to say it was they shut our offense down in the 3 fourth quarter possession. I don't think the pick was an adjustment either. I think it was just another call and Wilton went to the wrong wr. Because it looked as though butt was cutting and going to be open. However, I don't recall them dropping a backer there on most passing downs to counter what Michigan was going. And, to me, that is what an adjustment would be.

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bronxblue

December 10th, 2016 at 1:46 PM ^

When Tressel left and Fickell took over as HC, then DC, OSU's defense went from #2 overall in S&P to 25th, then 25th again, then 42nd.  Then Chris Ash shows up and they are back to #11, then #8, then #3.  So no, Luke Fickell has shown no ability to field an elite defense by himself; he absolutely seems like a good enough coach who needs help from other, best coordinators.

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JonnyHintz

December 10th, 2016 at 1:57 PM ^

He's always been their Co-DC. Never their sole DC. So we can justifiably ask ourselves how much of that defense was him, versus how much was their other DCs. Jim Heacock was definitely the mastermind from 2005-2012. Winning the Broyles Award in 2007, with Tressel routinely regarding it as "Jim Heacock's defense." Then in 2012, you have Everett Withers. Who left after two years to coach at James Madison, and now coaches Texas State. Then it's Chris Ash for two years. Leader of the mighty (bad) Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. And now Greg Schiano, who is a noted great defensive coach and has had success as a head coach.

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