Ohio State's coaching staff for the 2019 season is officially set.
Including new head coach Ryan Day, Ohio State is retaining six members of its coaching staff from last season, to go along with the five new assistant coaches who were hired earlier this month.
The assistant coaches who have now been officially retained by Day, as announced by Ohio State on Wednesday:
- Tony Alford, running backs coach and assistant head coach for offense
- Brian Hartline, wide receivers coach (promoted from interim wide receivers coach in December)
- Kevin Wilson, tight ends coach and offensive coordinator
- Greg Studrawa, offensive line coach
- Larry Johnson, defensive line coach and associate head coach
The Buckeyes' five new assistant coaches:
- Mike Yurcich, quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator
- Jeff Hafley, co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach
- Greg Mattison, co-defensive coordinator
- Al Washington, linebackers coach
- Matt Barnes, special teams coordinator and assistant secondary coach
“I am really excited with this foundation of coaches who will mentor, coach and prepare in all areas the young men in our program,” Day said in Wednesday's announcement. “I am obviously very comfortable with the coaches who have been here and helped us win consecutive Big Ten championships and bowl games, and I am thrilled they want to continue to help this program pursue championships and achievements.
“I am also confident the new assistant coaches will make an immediate impact on this program. I’m really looking forward to working with this staff these next couple months shaping the program and developing our players for the 2019 season.”
Meet Ohio State's New Coaches
Yurcich takes over the role previously held by Day, who was announced as the Buckeyes' new head coach in December when Urban Meyer announced his retirement.
Mattison, Hafley, Washington and Barnes replace former defensive assistant coaches Greg Schiano, Alex Grinch, Bill Davis and Taver Johnson, who were not retained by Day. Grinch is now the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma, Davis is now the linebackers coach for the NFL's Arizona Cardinals and Schiano is reportedly a candidate for a "top defensive role" with the NFL's New England Patriots.
Larry Johnson, who has been at Ohio State since 2014, is now the longest-tenured member of the Buckeyes' 11-man coaching staff. Alford has been with the Buckeyes since 2015, Studrawa has been at Ohio State since 2016, Day and Wilson both joined the staff in 2017 and Hartline became a quality control coach at Ohio State in 2017 before becoming the interim wide receivers coach last July.
