Withers, Vrabel Officially Part of Meyer's Staff
Everett Withers, previously the interim head coach at North Carolina, has been named co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Buckeyes.
"Everett is extremely well respected across the country," Meyer said. "I've known about him for a number of years and followed his progress as a college and NFL assistant coach. He will be a great fit for this staff and I think he and Luke [Fickell] are going to work well together as the co-coordinators of our defense."
Withers is pumped:
“"I am excited, and I couldn't be more excited to be on coach Urban Meyer's staff at The Ohio State University," Withers said. “"Ohio State is obviously one of the storied programs in college athletics. Having an opportunity to work at that university, and as part of Coach Meyer's staff, is something that you just can't pass up."
Mike Vrabel was also named a member of the staff and Meyer retained the linebacker coach today:
"“I had heard such great things about Mike Vrabel as a player, but the key thing for me was I wanted to talk football with him," Meyer said. “"I wanted to see him recruit, and I wanted to meet his family. I have since spent a lot of time with him, and he has a wonderful family."
"“I also spoke to a number of people I know well, who also know Mike very well, including Bill Belichick. Coach Belichick and I had a really good discussion about Mike. While Mike is young, we both agreed that the unique experiences he has had as a player, coupled with the things he has already accomplished as a coach and recruiter for Ohio State, has prepared Mike for this opportunity. I am very pleased he will be on the staff."
Meyer has now named six assistants to his Ohio State staff. In addition to Withers and Vrabel, Luke Fickell will stay on and call plays as co-defensive coordinator, Taver Johnson will handle secondary duties, Stan Drayton will coach the running backs and Tom Herman will handle the quarterbacks while also serving as the offensive coordinator.
Comments
Cue the "All your recruits are belong to us" photo.
This is awesome. We honestly are so freakin blessed to have something to look forward to almost every day in BuckeyeNation. O-H
O-H-I-O
I-O!
Great news!
COACHING VOLTRON ASSEMBLE
Taquitos.
Win.
Great minds...you know the rest. I was putting mine together as you posted yours. /slight variance.
I don't always take names when I kick ass but when I do, they most often belong to a Wolverine.
+11
Fan of bacon since 1981
From uncharted swamps filled with trailer parks, comes a legend, Voltron: Defender of the Buckiverse. A mighty coachbot, loved by good, feared by evil . . . he created peace throughout the Buckiverse and fought the horrible menace, Jabba. The motto of the superforce staff, specially assembled and trained by Voltron, is "all your recruits are belong to us!"
Never go full nerd!
I don't always take names when I kick ass but when I do, they most often belong to a Wolverine.
Love it Fido!
I don't always take names when I kick ass but when I do, they most often belong to a Wolverine.
Awesome!
Winner. Dynotherms connected, Infracells up!
Megathrusters are a GO!
giggle asplosion!
Aside: I originally received the voltron with lead paint. Had to trade that bitch in (much to young SGT. ELIAS' dismay) for a non-deadly version. Thanks Mom! /no snark
"I 've got an El Camino full of rampage"-- Sterling Archer, codename: Duchess
My Strech Armstrong got cut and my folks made me throw him away. I've never really recovered from that.
Good to be young @ heart.
SHOTS OF JAEGER FOR ALL MY BROS!
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
I'll take the bomb w/mine please! To much of a wussy to do that sh*t straight!
Help me out here, Buckeyes. How many more coaches can we have, and what position coaches are we looking for? Oline? WR? Dline? Kickers? Mascots?
I would think Fickell would handle the Dline
I have been known on occasion to howl at the moon. - Crash Davis
Welp, according to the crybabies from tsun, TOSU has been granted special dispensation from the NCAA to employ TWO COMPLETE coaching staffs...because they like us so much and want us to have an unfair advantage. Does that help?
(I can only suppose that means two mascots as well...one from the past, a shiney, smooth Brutus Buckeye, and a newer, meaner, more dangerous, Meyer-ized version with the spiney husk still intact!)
“...indomitable in victory, insufferable in defeat.” Woody Hayes
The Ann Arbor Community College fans have been whining quite a bit more than usual. I'm guessing they're quite pissed that their little party didn't last all that long!
The best thing about Pastafarianism? It is not only acceptable, but advisable, to be heavily sauced
Good news!
Already, with the staff still incomplete, I'm sold that the staff Meyer is assembling is going to be exceptional on the recruiting trail.
Time will tell how well the staff performs at teaching, game planning, etc., but I'm also encouraged on that front, too.
This is fantastic. It'll sure be nice to have stud position coaches at every position.
I am curious about a couple of things though. With Withers being named AHC, does that mean that Fickell isn't/won't be? And the fact that Vrabel is retained by Urban means he must have gotten a ringing endorsement from Belichick, and must've really impressed Urban with his recruiting. I think there was writing on the wall that he'd be retained (honestly, why would you send a guy out recruiting if he wasn't definitely going to be there?), but it's nice to have that confirmed officially.
I suspect Withers will be around for maybe a year, but Fickel's in it for the long-haul. My bet is that Withers is looking to parlay this position into a HC job elsewhere while Fick is looking to take over once Meyer is done. I also suspect Fickell agreed to give up the AHC spot in order to land a top-flight coach. Once again, Fickell proves to be one of the most loyal footsoldiers ever at OSU.
Because we couldn't go for three.
I dunno... I heard Fickell was in the running for the Pitt job. I'd rather him go somewhere else in a HC capacity sooner rather than later, do a hell of a job, and be ready for the OSU job once it comes open again in 5-10 years.
Time and change will surely show how firm they friendship... O-HI-O.
I agree. I think Fickell has the Pitt job and will be announced after the Gator. I hope he stays but I wish him well in whatever he does. He is Buckeye Football.
Seems like Fickell is behind Paul Cryst and Mario Cristobal for the Pitt job. Selfishly I hope one of them takes it.
vacuuming sucks
Co-DC & assistant HC does sound suspiciously similar to what I was expecting Fickell to be...
I believe you are right on this Maestro. Luke is third on the list. I agree that I want Luke at tOSU.
ESPN is reporting that Cryst has the Pitt job.
Real fans stay for Carmen.
Great hires all around. Put the generals in place and let them command. Hopefully there will be no interference from the upper levels, (Athletic director) so we can carry on demolishing the foe. Here is to sand in Beliema's (Bucky Badger and Betty Beaver's love child) poon!
I think can have 9 AC so these left. got any candidates?
OLine coach:
-Pat Perles, KC Chiefs son of George Perles
-Joe Gilbert, Illini, used to coach Toledo & Houston
-Lecharles Bentley OLINE academy
Receivers
-Bruce's grandson? Robiskie's dad?
-Stan Hixon, Bills WR coach?
Special teams
-think Meyer might coach here?
-
LeChuck, simply because he has the acumen and he would stick around for a while. Plus he eats Buicks and shitz Bradley Fighting Vehicles, as an apéritif .
"I 've got an El Camino full of rampage"-- Sterling Archer, codename: Duchess
Monkey Island reference. Flippin' sweet.
I wish Bentley would be the O-line coach.
He'd be a great addition to the coaching staph ;)
Time and change will surely show how firm they friendship... O-HI-O.
That one took me a second... Well played...
Alex (I think) mentioned that Zach Azzanni is a strong candidate for the WR coaching job.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zach_Azzanni
vacuuming sucks
I see what you did there :)
Any new news or fallout from the bowl ban?
The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender. - Woody Hayes
I am a little confused with the additional title of Asst. Head Coach as well, I was under the impression that Luke Fickell was going to serve in that capacity along with co-DC.
I know that Urban said in that past the Fickell is going to call the defense, how does Withers being the Asst. HC change this previous statement? Basically, when the two of them have a conflicting view... who makes the final call for the defense? Withers or Fickell?
Also whatever happened to Tim Brewster coming in as TE coach?
Logically, I want Fickell to take the Pitt job and get some head coaching experience and return one day. Emotionally, I want him to stay because he completely embodies what I view as a true Buckeye through-and-through.
Love it. Great way to rebound from yesterday's news. Vrabel still has a lot to prove as a coach, but learning under BOTH Meyer and Fickell should be a tremendous advantage.
October 20th: National Kenneth Guiton Day