Tag: Kerry Coombs

Twitter reacts to Ohio State hire of Kerry Coombs

Kerry Coombs is returning to Ohio State with the title of defensive coordinator. Twitter was ablaze with reaction.

He’s back.

We’d like to ask Kerry Coombs how many Red Bulls and coffee he’s downed since we last saw him in Columbus, but the count might be too high to keep up with.

In case you’ve been out all day doing whatever it is you were doing on this day of remembrance for the exceptional life of Martin Luther King, Jr., we’re here to inform you that Ohio State has officially welcomed back former Ohio State defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs. He will be given the defensive coordinator tag and still have responsibilities over the defensive backs.

And that is a great thing. Coombs is a great evaluator and developer of talent, but more than anything, the guy has all kinds of energy that he injects into any job and situation he’s involved with.

The news moved swiftly when the potential of Coombs return to Columbus broke, and much of it came by way of Twitter. We’ve picked out some of the best Twitter reactions for your reading pleasure.

Welcome back Kerry!

 

Ohio State officially names Kerry Coombs defensive coordinator

Ohio State has made it official with a release naming Kerry Coombs its new defensive coordinator Monday.

There’s already reports out there, but now it is official. Ohio State has named former assistant Kerry Coombs its defensive coordinator per a release from the university Monday. The Cincinnati area high school coaching legend worked under Urban Meyer as the defensive backs coach for five years. He then left to join Mike Vrabel on his staff with the Tennessee Titans of the NFL for two years.

Now, he is back with a promotion along with much fanfare and anticipation. He spent time developing the NFL types Bradley Roby, Eli Apple, Marshon Lattimore, Gareon Conley, and Denzel Ward. In fact, every single defensive back that played for Coombs ended up in the NFL.

“Kerry Coombs is the coach I was really hoping we could hire and bring back to Ohio State,” Day said in the release. “He is an excellent coach and he has had two outstanding seasons in the NFL on Mike Vrabel’s staff with the Tennessee Titans. I’ve spent a season on staff with Kerry and I really like his coaching and knowledge of the game, but I also like that he knows Ohio State and he knows how to recruit to Ohio State. He’s recruited some of the players currently on the team and he coached a handful of Buckeye defensive backs who went on to become first-round NFL draft picks.”

[lawrence-related id=21722]

[lawrence-related id=21699]

This is big, welcome news for Ohio State and will no doubt check a lot of the boxes that needed attention when Jeff Hafley left to take the opportunity to be the next head coach of Boston College.

 

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion.

We have a forum and message board now. Get in on the conversation about Ohio State athletics by joining the Buckeyes Wire Forum.

Titans secondary coach Kerry Coombs returning to Ohio State

After two seasons with the Tennessee Titans, Kerry Coombs is returning to the Ohio State Buckeyes’ coaching staff.

After two seasons with the Tennessee Titans, Kerry Coombs is returning to the Ohio State Buckeyes’ coaching staff.

After the Titans’ 35-24 AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, the door swung open for Ryan Day to make a move.

Coombs spent six seasons (2012-2017) under former Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer before leaving for the NFL in January of 2018.

At Ohio State, he served as the cornerbacks coach and special teams coordinator before he was promoted to assistant defensive coordinator.

[lawrence-related id=24541]

Coombs replaces Jeff Hafley, who left his position as the co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach after just one season with the team.

“You always have a list, you always have people that you have ready,” Day said back in December. “In this world, you go to a place like Ohio State, you do well, things like this are going to happen. You can either go hire somebody that is going to be here for seven or eight years — or go hire the best in the country. We’re going to hire the best in the country.

He is set to be formally announced as the coordinator of the defense on Monday afternoon.

Known for his energetic and passionate demeanor, fans will be eager to welcome Coombs back to Columbus.

[lawrence-related id=24502]

Kerry Coombs will reportedly be the highest paid assistant coach in Ohio State football history

According to salary reported by the Columbus Dispatch, Kerry Coombs will be the highest-paid assistant coach in Ohio State football history.

If you haven’t heard yet, former Ohio State defensive backs, and now former Tennessee Titans assistant Kerry Coombs is all set to make his return to Columbus. According to multiple reports, he’ll have the defensive coordinator position but also still have responsibilities with the defensive backs.

If you wondered why a guy in the prime of his NFL career would come back to the college ranks, consider the fact that a promotion and money talk. Not only will Coombs have the responsibility of calling some shots on the defense, he’ll also apparently be bringing a boatload of cash with him — at least according to a report (subscription required) from the Columbus Dispatch.

So much so, that Coombs will be the highest-paid assistant coach in Ohio State history according to sources that spoke to Bill Rabinowitz. Coombs’ salary is reported to be around $1.2 Million a year, about $100,000 more than the $1.1 Million that current co-defensive coordinator Greg Mattison makes.

The hire will no doubt make a big splash in recruiting circles, and across the coaching landscape in the Big Ten and beyond. To be the best, you have to pay the best coaches and lure them in, and it appears as though the Buckeyes have done that once again.

BREAKING: Kerry Coombs set to rejoin Ohio State

According to a report from Lettermen Row, it appears as though famed defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs is set to return to Ohio State.

It has been speculated ever since Buckeye assistant Jeff Hafley accepted the head coaching job at Boston College, now it appears to be on the cusp of being officially announced by Ohio State.

According to a report from Lettermen Row, Ryan Day and the program are expected to announce the hiring of Kerry Coombs as with a defensive coordinator position and the assignment of working with defensive backs coach again, as early as Monday afternoon. The folks at Lettermen Row site multiple sources familiar with the situation.

It was clear when Hafley left, that Coombs was the main target of Day. Formerly a part of all the fun under Urban Meyer, the Cincinnati area high school coaching legend accepted the defensive backs coaching post under Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.

At the time he Day said Ohio State would try and get one of the very best out there to replace Hafley, who was a bit of an unknown prior to his arrival in Columbus. Convincing Coombs to come back would certainly fit that bill.

But when Tennessee went on an improbable run to the AFC Championship Game, Ohio State had to be patient and courteous. Now, with the Chiefs win over the Titans Sunday, the news was supposed to come quickly, and that’s exactly what appears to have happened.

No official word has come from Ohio State yet, but as soon as it does, we’ll have it for you here at Buckeyes Wire.

Ohio State reportedly targeting Kerry Coombs to replace Jeff Hafley

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is reportedly targeting former Ohio State assistant Kerry Coombs to replace Jeff Hafley.

Unless you’ve been away on a lunar mission, by now you know that Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is headed to Boston College to be its next head coach. It’s a big loss for sure. Hafley helped turn around an Ohio State defense in one short year, but with success comes opportunity.

It’s been a year of firsts for head coach Ryan Day, and now the next first will come in the way of searching for a replacement to one of the assistant coaches on his staff.

But, never fear Buckeye fans, because there’s a name from the past that has surfaced that everyone should get excited about. Former defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs appears to be the main target to fill the hole Hafley’s departure leaves, at least according to sources that have spoken to Lettermen Row.

As a reminder, Coombs is a long-time, well-respected Cincinnati area high school coach that was lured to Columbus to work under Urban Meyer at Ohio State. His secondaries included the likes of Marshon Lattimore and Denzel Ward. He was on staff in Columbus from 2012-2017 and has a hands on coaching style with a ton of energy.

And I do mean a ton. His guys often fed off what he brought in practice and on game days. It would definitely be a hire that would not only get the OSU fans excited, but a quality one to replace a quality departure.

The only question is if Coombs would want to come back to the college game after leaving OSU in the first place to be an assistant coach on Mike Vrabel’s staff with the Houston Texans.

We’ll have more on this as the story develops.