Prior to the 2012 season, when Ohio State hired Everett Withers as the team’s co-defensive coordinator, Luke Fickell heard the question. Two years later, when Chris Ash was brought on staff to replace Withers, Fickell was asked it again. And as the Buckeyes opened spring practice two weeks ago, again with a new co-defensive coordinator working alongside Fickell, he was asked once more.
What is it like working with somebody and how important is the relationship between the two guys orchestrating the Buckeyes' defense?
“It’s the same [answer] for me,” Fickell said. “The idea here, and that’s the great thing about it, is that this is a program. When other, new guys come in there’s a lot of great ideas and a lot of things.
“Ultimately, what it comes down to being successful is guys working together.”
Fickell will call Ohio State's defense this year with Greg Schiano, who was brought in to replace Ash. Schiano will coach the Buckeyes' safeties — Ash did this, as well — and will work together with Fickell to try and replicate a defense that went from a liability in 2013 to one of the nation’s strongest in 2015.
The Buckeyes have just their third practice of the spring Tuesday morning, so Fickell and Schiano haven’t had a ton of hands-on time to work on things together. Schiano was only hired back in December, after all, but the two have had conversations about philosophies, schemes and more up until this point.
“At some point in time you’d hope we might get an actual minute where you could have a different kind of conversation other than inside these walls,” Fickell joked. “There’s a lot of great ideas and a lot of things I pick his brain about.”
And why not?
Schiano has a proven track record as a guy who has run a successful college program before as the former head coach at Rutgers. He also had a stint as an NFL head coach. Schiano's resume somewhat speaks for itself.
What he hasn’t had to do for quite some time is work alongside someone like he will have to do this year at Ohio State. Schiano has not been an assistant coach since 2000, but so far, Schiano says his transition has been smooth and his relationship with Fickell is off to a strong start.
“It’s great. We spend a lot of time together, we discuss everything and that’s good,” he said. “It’s neat for me to have a guy that we just keep bouncing ideas off of back and forth and in each other’s meeting room.”
Last season, as the Buckeyes endured a 12-1 season, Ohio State’s defense ranked ninth nationally giving up just 311.3 yards per game. It was even better at keeping points off the board, as the Buckeyes ranked No. 2 in the country in scoring defense, surrendering just 15.1 points per game.
It was the result of a dramatic turnaround following Ash’s arrival. His aggressive, press-quarters scheme overhauled a pass defense that was, to be kind, woeful, during the 2013 season. Ash is gone now, though, as the new head coach at Rutgers — oddly enough, the place where Schiano once coached.
So, Schiano steps in as his replacement. And while neither Fickell nor Schiano says there will be major schematic changes to Ohio State’s defense — why would there be after recent success? — both said there may be minor tweaks to help better the product.
“It’s great to have a new eye and some other ideas,” Fickell said. “We’re not going to change, but the idea of, ‘Hey, when we do this, let’s enhance what we’ve done to make this better.’”
The situation is nothing new for Fickell; it is quite different for Schiano. But both say the transition thus far has been somewhat seamless.
It has only been a few months, but if that is in fact the case, Ohio State’s defense doesn’t appear like there will be much of a drop-off.
“It’s just one of those things I think I learned at a really young age here from Jim Tressel,” Fickell said. “Just one of those things, the ability to work with other people and accept new ideas. It’s been a really good transition.”
