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Quick Facts
Hometown: Ashtabula, Ohio
High School: St. John
Alma Mater: Cincinnati, 1986
Master’s Degree: Ohio State, 1988
Year in Coaching: 26th (First year at Ohio State)
Wife: Shelley
Children: Daughters, Nicole and Gigi, and son, Nathan
COACHING ASSIGNMENTS
2012
Head Coach...................................................................................Ohio State
2005-10
Head Coach.........................................................................................Florida
2003-04
Head Coach............................................................................................Utah
2001-02
Head Coach............................................................................ Bowling Green
1996-2000
Wide Receivers........................................................................... Notre Dame
1990-95
Wide Receivers.......................................................................Colorado State
1989
Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers................................................... Illinois State
1988
Outside Linebackers.................................................................. Illinois State
1987
Grad Assistant (Wide Receivers)...................................................Ohio State
1986
Grad Assistant (Tight Ends)............................................................Ohio State
Sometime during the morning of November 28, 2011, Ohio native Urban Meyer returned home. It was at that time when the
47-year-old Meyer, born in Toledo, raised in Ashtabula and with
degrees from the University of Cincinnati and The Ohio State
University, signed a six-year agreement to become the 24th head
coach in the storied history of Ohio State football.
The only candidate interviewed by a five-member search
committee of senior Ohio State leaders, headed by President E.
Gordon Gee and Director of Athletics Gene Smith, Meyer, now
48, returns to collegiate coaching after sitting out the past year to
devote time to his family – wife Shelley, college-age daughters
Nicole and Gisele and 13-year-old son Nathan – and to work as an
analyst for ESPN.
“In Urban Meyer we have found an exemplary person and reHEAD COACHING RECORD
markable coach to lead the University’s football program into the
Conf.
Final
future,” Gee said. “As an alumnus, he understands and believes
YearSchool
Rec.Rec.
Poll Bowl
in the core academic mission of the University. As an Ohioan, he
2001
Bowling Green
8-3
5-3
NR
None
shares our common values and sense of purpose.”
2002
Bowling Green
9-3
6-2
NR
None
2003
Utah10-2
6-1 (First)21/21
Liberty
Smith said that Meyer is “known not only as one of the nation’s
2004
Utah12-0
7-0 (First)4/5
Fiesta
most successful coaches, but also as a leader and mentor who
2005
Florida
9-3
5-3
12/16
Outback
cares deeply about the young men who are his student-athletes.
2006
Florida
13-1
7-1 (First)
1/1
BCS National
He brings with him an understanding of the University – both the
Championship Game
important traditions of its football program and the excellence of
2007
Florida
9-4
5-3
13/16
Capital One
the institution.”
2008
Florida
13-1
7-1 (First)
1/1
BCS National
Championship Game
It’s easy to see why he was the No. 1 choice of the search
2009
Florida
13-1
8-0 (First, East)
3/3
Sugar
committee.
2010
Florida 8-5
4-4
NR
Outback
Totals: 10 Years
104-23
60-18
Through 10 full seasons as a head coach, Meyer has the
tenth-best winning percentage in major college football history
with a winning rate of .814 (104-23). He will leap all the way to
No. 2 among current major college coaches with that percentage,
trailing only the .926 percentage owned by Boise State’s Chris
Peterson.
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HEAD COACH URBAN MEYER
Meyer has already won two national championships – in 2006 and 2008 with
the University of Florida – and no less than three national coach of the year
honors, including The Sporting News honor in 2003 and the Eddie Robinson and
Home Depot Coach of the Year awards, respectively, in 2004.
Meyer has not only won big at each of his three previous head coaching positions, but he has won immediately. He led Bowling Green to the best turnaround
season in the nation in 2001 with an 8-3 record and he went 9-3 in Year 2. He
was 22-2 in two seasons at Utah, including a 16-game winning streak and a 12-0
campaign in 2004 when he led the first-ever non-Bowl Championship Season
program into a BCS game.
He was 65-15 in his six seasons at Florida with the two national titles, two
Southeastern Conference championships and three 13-win seasons, including
consecutive 13-win seasons in 2008 and 2009 to become the first coach ever to
accomplish that feat.
And now he brings his coaching talents home to Ohio, the state where he
has lived for 25 of his 47 years and where he met his wife, the former Shelley
Mather, who grew up in Frankfort, Ohio.
“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to return to Ohio State,” said
Meyer. “This University and the state of Ohio have enormous meaning to me. My
duty is to ensure that Ohio State’s football program reflects and enhances the
academic mission of the institution. I am part of it, I believe in it, and I will live
it.”
It all Started In Ohio
First Year: Coach of the Year
After graduating from Saint John High School in Ashtabula, Meyer was a
13th-round MLB draft pick of the Atlanta Braves and spent two years in minor
league baseball. He matriculated to Cincinnati and played defensive back for the
football program, graduating in 1986 with his bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Taking over a team that was 2-9 in 2000 and that had not had a winning season
seven years, Meyer guided the Falcons to the top turnaround in the nation in
2001 with a six-win improvement and an 8-3 record that included wins over
Missouri, Northwestern and BGSU’s rival to its north, Toledo. He was named
Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year.
Meyer’s first football coaching experience was as an intern at St. Xavier High
School in Cincinnati in 1986. The following year, he joined Coach Earle Bruce’s
staff at Ohio State and spent two years as a graduate assistant – coaching
tight ends in 1986 and receivers in 1987 – while pursuing his master’s degree in
sports administration.
He followed that first year with a 9-3 record in his second year with the
Falcons, including another win over Missouri. After BG opened the season with
eight consecutive wins, the program cracked both the Associated Press and
ESPN/USA Today Top 25 polls for the first time in school history, peaking with an
all-time school best No. 16 national ranking by ESPN/USA Today.
It was during his time as a Buckeye – Ohio State won a Big Ten title in 1986
and 1987 was Bruce’s final season as coach – that he forged a relationship with
Bruce that has only been strengthened through the tests of time and change.
Meyer’s BGSU teams were anything but one-dimensional. His 2002 team led
the nation in red zone production with 61 scores in 63 trips inside the 20 (.968)
and were ninth in total offense (448.9 yards per game). Defensively, his 2001
team ranked first in the MAC in scoring, rushing and total defense and his teams
led the MAC both years in turnover margin.
“My relationship with him [Earle] is extremely close, second only to my
father,” Meyer said during the news conference to announce his hiring at Ohio
State…17 days after his father, Bud, passed away.
“Every step of my career, every part of my family life, Coach Bruce has always
been there. So close that he was gracious enough to speak at my father’s funeral
just last Friday.”
Josh Harris, who became a starter at quarterback in the ninth game of the
2001 season and reeled off 11 consecutive wins as a starter, told Plain Dealer
reporter Elton Alexander that his former coach simply made players believe they
were as good as any other team.
Meyer, as every young coach who aspires to be a head coach and who thirsts
for knowledge, then moved on to a series of assistant coaching positions – Illinois State for two years under Jim Heacock, Colorado State for six years under
Sonny Lubick and Bruce, and Notre Dame for one year under Lou Holtz and five
years under Bob Davie – before getting his first head coaching assignment at
Bowling Green.
“One thing for sure, when coach Meyer believes in a guy, he might even
believe in him more than the guy believes in himself,” Harris said. “There was
a time when I had to get my belief in Josh Harris up to where Urban Meyer
believed that Josh Harris was. That really propelled me, and my game, to new
levels.
“That’s one of the things he did for me that I will always be thankful for.”
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The Move Out West
Meyer moved on the University of Utah following the 2002 season and in two
seasons led the Utes to a 22-2 record. He was named national Coach of the Year
in 2003 by The Sporting News and in 2004 he was named the Football Writers
Association of America’s Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year and the Home Depot
Coach of the Year.
In his first season in Salt Lake City, Meyer coached the Utes to their first
outright conference championship since 1957, a 17-0 Liberty Bowl win over
Southern Mississippi, and a final national ranking of No. 21. In addition to his
national coach of the year honor by The Sporting News, Meyer was named
Mountain West Conference coach of the year and thus became the first coach in
Utah’s 111-year football history to earn such an honor in his first year.
Utah then enjoyed the finest season in program history in 2004. The 12-0
record was the first 12-0 season in 75 years and a second-consecutive outright
MWC championship was the first in conference history.
The Utah offense was unstoppable, finishing in the Top 5 in six categories,
including No. 3 in scoring (45.3), total offense (499.7) and turnover margin (1.25).
The team also led the MWC in 11 statistical categories and was No. 2 in passing, scoring and total defense.
Following Utah’s 16th consecutive win, a 35-7 pummeling of Pitt in the Fiesta
Bowl, Meyer’s record was a sterling 39-7 as a head coach and the University of
Florida was in need of a coach.
Simply Great in Gainesville
Back Home to Ohio
“Urban’s accomplishments speak for themselves,” Florida Athletics Director Jeremy Foley said. And this was before Meyer had even begun to blow his previous
coaching accomplishments out of the water with the even-greater success he
would experience coaching the Gators.
On Wednesday, Nov. 23, Ohio State Director of Athletics Gene Smith first talked
to Meyer about returning to coaching after spending the year in an ESPN analyst
booth. On Sunday, Nov. 27, Smith presented Meyer with terms for a six-year
contract. Less than 24 hours later Meyer was a Buckeye.
Meyer coached Florida to a 9-3 record in his initial season, a record that
included wins over four nationally ranked opponents, making Meyer the first
first-year coach in UF history to accomplish the feat.
And the rest of this story is future history.
More Notes on Urban Meyer:
Meyer’s Year 2 success – he was a combined 21-3 in his second season
at Bowling Green and Utah – continued in Gainesville as he led the Gators
to a school-record 13 wins, and SEC and national championships against the
toughest schedule in the nation. Florida played six ranked teams and 11 of its
opponents went to bowl games. The BCS Championship game win: 41-14 over
No. 1 ranked Ohio State in Glendale, Ariz. Meyer was named national Coach of
the Year by the All-American Foundation at the conclusion of the season.
•
Only two coaches have had more victories in their first 10 years as a
head coach than Meyer’s 104: George Woodruff (124 between 18921901 at Pennsylvania) and Bob Stoops (109 between 1999-2008). Note:
records include at least five years as a Division I coach.
•
Meyer has won 13 games three times during his career, including
back-to-back in 2008 and 2009 to become the first BCS coach to ever
accomplish that feat.
•
His teams are 21-3 in “rivalry games.” Bowling Green was 1-1 vs.
Toledo; Utah was 4-0 vs. Utah State and BYU; and Florida was 16-2 vs.
Florida State, Tennessee and Georgia.
•
His teams are also 60-18 in conference play with four championships
(two apiece at Utah and Florida). They are also 2-1 in SEC title games,
7-1 in bowl games and 4-0 in BCS bowl games.
The only blemish on an otherwise spectacular 13-1 2009 season was to
eventual national champion Alabama in the SEC championship game. This team’s
senior class departed with the best record for a class in SEC history: 48-7.
•
Meyer has coached his teams to winning streaks of 11 games (Bowling
Green), 20 games (16 at Utah and four at Florida), 11 games (Florida) and
22 games (Florida).
Meyer, who took a brief leave of absence from coaching following the 2009
season, coached his last Florida team to an 8-5 record. His last game as Florida
coach was 37-24 win over Penn State in the Outback Bowl, in Tampa, Fla.
•
His teams have 14 wins by 40-or-more points and another 20 wins by at
least 30 points for a total of 34 blowouts.
The 2007 Gator team went 9-3 and featured a Heisman Trophy-winning Tim
Tebow and ranked third nationally with an average of 42.5 points per game.
Consecutive 13-win seasons followed in 2008 and 2009, a first in major college history. The 2008 team was the most prolific offensive unit in SEC history
with 611 points scored against the nation’s second-toughest schedule. Meyer
won a second national championship this season, with Florida defeating Oklahoma, 24-14, in the BCS Championship game in Miami, Fla.
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•
Meyer’s teams are 2-2 vs. the No. 1 team in the nation, 7-3 vs. Top 5
teams, 11-4 vs. Top 10 teams and 19-7 vs. Top 25 teams.
•
Both the Sporting News and Sports Illustrated named Meyer “Coach of
the Decade” in December 2009.
•
So far, 30 of his former Florida Gator players have been chosen in the
NFL Draft, including more first-round selections – eight – than any other
school has produced in the last five years.
•
Meyer has watched a total of 36 players that he coached for at least
two years get selected in the NFL Draft, including nine first-round draft
picks.
•
Of those 36 NFL Draft picks, three were quarterbacks: Bowling Green’s
Josh Harris was a sixth-round selection by Baltimore in the 2004 NFL
Draft and Utah’s Alex Smith (San Francisco, 2005) and Florida’s Tim
Tebow (Denver, 2010) were each No. 1 draft picks with Smith the overall
No. 1 pick.
•
In addition to Smith and Tebow, Meyer’s first-round draft picks include
offensive linemen Maurkice Pouncey (Pittsburgh, 2010) and Mike
Pouncey (Miami, 2011); defensive linemen Jarvis Moss (Denver, 2007)
and Derrick Harvey (Jacksonville, 2008); defensive backs Reggie
Nelson (Jacksonville, 2007) and Joe Haden (Cleveland, 2010); and wide
receiver/running back Percy Harvin (Minnesota, 2009).
•
With the exception of kickers, Meyer has had multiple players at every
position drafted into the NFL, including a position-best 10 defensive
linemen, seven wide receivers, six defensive backs and five offensive
linemen.
•
Six of Meyer’s former assistant coaches are head coaches: Steve
Addazio (Temple); Tim Beckman (Illinois); John “Doc Holliday (Marshall);
Dan McCarney (North Texas); Dan Mullen (Mississippi State) and Charlie
Strong (Louisville).
•
Nine of his former assistant coaches are offensive (OC) defensive (DC),
passing game (PG) or run game (RG) coordinators: Vance Bedford (DC
at Louisville); Gregg Brandon (OC at Wyoming); Billy Gonzales (co-OC at
Illinois); Chuck Heater (DC at Temple); John Hevesy (RG at Mississippi
State); Scot Loeffler (OC at Auburn); Greg Mattison (DC at Michigan) and
Greg Studrawa (OC at LSU).
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URBAN MEYER MOMENTS
Urban Meyer is introduced as Ohio State's 24th head football coach on Nov. 28, 2011. Meyer is the
second-winningest active coach and has won two national championships.
Meyer, born in Toledo, raised in Ashtabula and with degrees from Cincinnati and Ohio State, is happy to be home in Ohio.
The Meyer family - GiGi, Urban, Shelley, Nicki and Nathan - received a warm welcome from the Ohio
State crowd at the men's basketball game against Indiana on Jan. 15.
Meyer and Buckeye fan Jason Andrus helped kick off the 24th Columbus
City Schools Special Olympics May 12.
Meyer and son Nathan enjoyed the honor of a ceremonial first pitch at a Cincinnati Red's game
June 11. They repeated "first pitches" one week later in Cleveland.
Meyer spent time with Lauren Loose at "Lauren´s First and Goal" Football
Camp June 17 at Otterbein University.
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Ohio State great and Trustee Clark Kellogg and CBS' Verne Lundquist interview Meyer
during the Ohio State/Indiana basketball game Jan. 15.
Ohio State students enjoyed the opportunity to meet their FB coach following the "Urban
Meyer Town Hall" meeting May 15. Meyer enjoyed the moment, too.
About 3,100 students showed up for "Student Appreciation Day" during spring drills April
14 that included a post-practice autograph and photo session.
Meyer and some assistant coaches and wives spent close to 90 minutes with about 800
Ohio State students in the student-only "town hall" event May 15.
Meyer has made it clear how much he believes in the support of the student body. During the "Student Appreciation Day" practice April 14 inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center he
allowed students to get so close they could "hear in the huddle," and they even formed a Block "O" during a field goal drill.
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URBAN MEYER GAME-BY-GAME
Bowling Green – 2001
Sept. 1 at Missouri......................... W 20-13
Sept. 8 Buffalo................................ W35-0
Sept. 22 Temple ............................... W42-23
Sept. 29 at Marshall......................... L31-37
Oct. 6
Kent State........................... W24-7
Oct. 13 at W. Michigan................... L28-37
Oct. 20 at Akron ............................. W16-11
Nov. 3 Miami ................................ L21-24
Nov. 10 at Ohio................................ W17-0
Nov. 17 at Northwestern................. W43-42
Nov. 23 Toledo................................. W56-21
Bowling Green – 2002
Aug. 29 Tennessee Tech.................. W41-7
Sept. 14 Missouri.............................. W51-28
Sept. 21 at Kansas............................ W39-16
Oct. 5
Ohio.................................... W72-21
Oct. 12 at C. Michigan.................... W45-35
Oct. 19 W. Michigan....................... W 48-45 OT
Oct. 26 Ball State............................ W38-20
Nov. 2 at Kent State...................... W45-14
Nov. 9 at N. Illinois........................ L17-26
Nov. 16 at USF................................. L7-29
Nov. 23 E. Michigan......................... W63-21
Nov. 30 at Toledo............................. L24-42
Utah – 2003
Aug. 28 Utah State.......................... W40-20
Sept. 6 at Texas A&M..................... L 26-28
Sept. 11 California............................ W31-24
Sept. 27 at Colorado State............... W28-21
Oct. 3
Oregon................................ W17-13
Oct. 11 San Diego State................. W27-6
Oct. 18 at UNLV............................... W28-10
Oct. 25 New Mexico....................... L35-47
Nov. 1 at Air Force......................... W 45-43 3OT
Nov. 15 Wyoming............................ W47-17
Nov. 22 at BYU................................. W3-0
Dec. 31 vs. Southern Miss@........... W17-0
@Liberty Bowl at Memphis
Utah – 2004
Sept. 2 Texas A&M......................... W41-21
Sept. 11 at Arizona........................... W23-6
Sept. 18 at Utah State...................... W48-6
Sept. 25 Air Force............................. W49-35
Oct. 1
at New Mexico................... W28-7
Oct. 16 North Carolina.................... W46-16
Oct. 23 UNLV................................... W63-28
Oct. 30 at San Diego State............. W51-28
Nov. 6 Colorado State.................... W63-31
Nov. 13 at Wyoming........................ W45-28
Nov. 20 BYU..................................... W52-21
Jan. 1 vs. Pittsburgh@.................. W
35-7
@Fiesta Bowl at Scottsdale, Ariz.
Florida – 2005
Sept. 3 Wyoming............................ W32-14
Sept. 10 Louisiana Tech.................... W41-3
Sept. 17 Tennessee........................... W16-7
Sept. 24 at Kentucky......................... W49-28
Oct. 1
at Alabama......................... L3-31
Oct. 8
Mississippi St..................... W35-9
Oct. 15 at LSU................................. L17-21
Oct. 29 vs. Georgia*........................ W14-10
Nov. 5 Vanderbilt........................... W 49-42 2OT
Nov. 12 at South Carolina................ L22-30
Nov. 26 Florida State....................... W34-7
Jan. 2 vs. Iowa@........................... W31-24
*at Jacksonville; @Outback Bowl at Tampa, Fla.
Florida – 2006
Sept. 2 Southern Miss.................... W34-7
Sept. 9 UCF..................................... W42-0
Sept. 16 at Tennessee....................... W21-20
Sept. 23 Kentucky............................. W26-7
Sept. 30 Alabama............................. W28-13
Oct. 7
LSU..................................... W23-10
Oct. 14 at Auburn............................ L17-27
Oct. 28 vs. Georgia*........................ W21-14
Nov. 4 at Vanderbilt....................... W25-19
Nov. 11 South Carolina.................... W17-16
Nov. 18 Western Carolina................ W62-0
Nov. 25 at Florida State................... W21-14
Dec. 2 vs. Arkansas#..................... W38-28
Jan. 8 vs. Ohio State@.................. W41-14
* at Jacksonville, Fla.; # SEC Championship game at
Atlanta; @ BCS National Championship at Scottsdale, Ariz.
Florida – 2007
Sept. 1 W. Kentucky........................ W49-3
Sept. 8 Troy..................................... W59-31
Sept. 15 Tennessee........................... W59-20
Sept. 22 at Ole Miss......................... W30-24
Sept. 29 Auburn................................ L17-20
Oct. 6
at LSU................................. L24-28
Oct. 20 at Kentucky......................... W45-37
Oct. 27 vs. Georgia*........................ L30-42
Nov. 3 Vanderbilt........................... W49-22
Nov. 10 at So. Carolina.................... W51-31
Nov. 17 Fla. Atlantic........................ W59-20
Nov. 24 Florida State....................... W45-12
Jan. 1 vs. Michigan@.................... L35-41
*at Jacksonville, Fla.; @Capital One Bowl at
Orlando, Fla.
43
Florida – 2008
Aug. 30 Hawaii................................ W56-10
Sept. 6 Miami................................. W26-3
Sept. 20 at Tennessee....................... W30-6
Sept. 27 Ole Miss............................. L30-31
Oct. 4
at Arkansas......................... W38-7
Oct. 11 LSU..................................... W51-21
Oct. 25 Kentucky............................. W63-5
Nov. 1 vs. Georgia*........................ W49-10
Nov. 8 at Vanderbilt....................... W42-12
Nov. 15 So. Carolina........................ W56-6
Nov. 22 The Citadel......................... W70-19
Nov. 29 at Florida State................... W45-15
Dec. 6 vs. Alabama#...................... W31-20
Jan. 8 vs. Oklahoma@................... W24-14
*at Jacksonville, Fla.; #SEC championship game
at Atlanta; @BCS National Championship game at
Miami, Fla.
Florida – 2009
Sept. 5 Charleston Southern........... W62-3
Sept. 12 Troy..................................... W56-6
Sept. 19 Tennessee........................... W23-13
Sept. 26 at Kentucky......................... W41-7
Oct. 10 at LSU................................. W13-3
Oct. 17 Arkansas............................. W23-20
Oct. 24 at Mississippi State........... W29-19
Oct. 31 vs. Georgia*........................ W41-17
Nov. 7 Vanderbilt........................... W27-3
Nov. 14 at South Carolina................ W24-14
Nov. 21 Florida International........... W62-3
Nov. 28 Florida State....................... W37-0
Dec. 5 vs. Alabama#...................... L13-32
Jan. 1 vs. Cincinnati@................... W51-24
*at Jacksonville, Fla.; #SEC championship game at
Atlanta; @Sugar Bowl at New Orleans
Florida – 2010
Sept. 4 Miami Univ......................... W34-12
Sept. 11 South Florida...................... W38-14
Sept. 18 at Tennessee....................... W31-17
Sept. 25 Kentucky............................. W48-14
Oct. 2
at Alabama......................... L3-31
Oct. 9
LSU..................................... L29-33
Oct. 16 Mississippi State................ L7-10
Oct. 30 vs. Georgia*........................ W 34-31 OT
Nov. 6 at Vanderbilt....................... W55-14
Nov. 13 South Carolina.................... L14-36
Nov. 20 Appalachian State.............. W48-10
Nov. 27 at Florida State................... L7-31
Jan. 1 vs. Penn State@................. W37-24
*at Jacksonville, Fla.; @Outback Bowl at Tampa, Fla.
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EVERETT WITHERS
F OOT B A L L
1ST SEASON
ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/CO-DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR/SAFETIES
QUICK FACTS
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
High School: Charlotte Senior
Alma Mater: Appalachian State
University, 1985
Year in Coaching: 25th (First year at Ohio State)
Wife: Kara
Children: Daughter, Tia, and son, Pierce
Everett Withers, a 24-year coaching veteran, is in his first season as the Ohio State Buckeyes’
co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. He will also serve as the position coach for
the team’s safeties.
Withers has been a collegiate coach for 17 years and has also worked seven seasons in the
National Football League: six years (2001-06) as defensive backs coach with the Tennessee
Titans under Jeff Fisher, and a year (1994) as a defensive quality control coach for the New
Orleans Saints.
Withers has spent the last four years at the University of North Carolina. He was promoted to
interim head coach at the school this past July and he led the Tar Heels to a 7-5 record and to a
berth in the Independence Bowl against Missouri.
Withers’ collegiate coaching resume includes nine years as a defensive coordinator with a
vast majority of his time - 15 seasons - spent also coaching the defensive backfield. His Tar Heel
defenses were top notch.
• His first unit - 2008 - ranked eighth in the country with 20 interceptions, a number that was
just one off the UNC single season record.
• His 2009 defense was among the nation’s elite, ranking sixth in total defense, 10th against the
run, 13th in scoring and 14th in pass defense.
• His 2010 unit ranked fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 30th nationally. Five players
off that unit were taken in the NFL draft, including first-round pick Robert Quinn.
• And this past year the Tar Heels ranked 14th against the run.
Additionally, Withers’ UNC defenses have picked off 71 passes in the past four years.
Withers spent one year as defensive coordinator at the University of Minnesota prior to his
North Carolina position. He also has been an assistant coach at the University of Texas (19982000; defensive backs), Louisville (1995-97; defensive coordinator/assistant head coach/defensive backs), Southern Mississippi (1992-93; defensive backs/assistant special teams), Tulane
(1991; outside linebackers) and Austin Peay (1988-90; defensive coordinator/defensive backs;
tight ends/special teams).
A native of Charlotte, N.C., Withers attended Appalachian State University and was a fouryear letter-winner as a defensive back. He served as team captain in 1984.
Withers and his wife, Kara, have a daughter, Tia, and a son, Pierce.
COACHING ASSIGNMENTS
2012
Co-Defensive Coordinator/Asst. Head Coach/Safeties...Ohio State University
2011
Interim Head Coach.............................................. University of North Carolina
2008-10
Def. Coord./Secondary......................................... University of North Carolina
2007
Defensive Coordinator............................................... University of Minnesota
2001-06
Defensive Backs.................................................................... Tennessee Titans
1998-00
Defensive Backs................................................................. University of Texas
1995-97
Defensive Coordinator................................................. University of Louisville
1994
Defensive Quality Control.................................................New Orleans Saints
1992-93
Defensive Backs......................................... University of Southern Mississippi
1991
Outside Linebackers.............................................................. Tulane University
1990
Special Teams/WRs............................................ Austin Peay State University
1988-89
Defensive Coordinator........................................ Austin Peay State University
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LUKE FICKELL
OH IO
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F OOT B A L L
11TH SEASON
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR/LINEBACKERS
QUICK FACTS
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
High School: DeSales
Alma Mater: The Ohio State University, 1997
Year in Coaching: 14th (11th year at Ohio State)
Wife: Amy
Children: Son Landon, daughter Luca, and
twin sons Aydon & Ashton
Luke Fickell will coach his 11th season at his alma mater in 2012 in the position of defensive
coordinator and linebackers coach. Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer announced Nov. 28,
2011 - the day he was hired - that Fickell would be a part of his Ohio State coaching staff.
Fickell was the team’s head coach in 2011, a position he accepted on May 30, 2011 without
demands, without questions and without any prior head coaching experience. He was asked
to step forward and take over a program in need of a steadying influence, and he was just that
through a 6-6 regular season and a season-ending 24-17 loss to Florida in the TaxSlayer.com
Gator Bowl.
“Coach Fick” was much more than a just a steadying influence, though. He was an
accomplished leader through one of the most difficult times in Ohio State athletics history. He
kept the team focused on the controllable - always - and despite 53 games missed by starters,
the constant molding of two first-year quarterbacks, and inexperience and youth up and down
the lineup, he had the Buckeyes in control of their Big Ten championship destiny until the last
three weeks of the season.
“Luke ... took on an unbelievable challenge to lead this football program through this
particular year at this particular time, and he was the right leader for that time to lead this
football program,” Gene Smith said.
Prior to Fickell’s appointment to head coach he had been promoted to assistant head coach
in March 2011. He also coached the Buckeye linebackers and has served as co-defensive
coordinator.
Fickell’s coaching career began at Ohio State. After spending a year on the injured reserve list
with the New Orleans Saints, he was hired in 1999 as a graduate assistant at Ohio State by his
college coach, John Cooper.
His first full-time coaching position came in 2000 under Lee Owens at Akron, spending
two years as defensive line coach. Jim Tressel brought him to Ohio State as special teams
coordinator in 2002 and he also worked with the defensive front. He was named linebackers
coach in 2004 and added co-defensive coordinator duties to his resume in 2005.
Fickell has been a part of some outstanding Ohio State defenses. In 2005 the unit was fifth in
the NCAA in total defense and first in rushing defense. In 2006 it was 12th in total defense. In
2007 the Buckeyes were first nationally in total defense, in addition to being first in scoring and
pass defense. The team was 14th in total defense in 2008 and, in 2009 and 2010, the Buckeyes
were fifth and fourth, respectively, in total defense.
Fickell is a Columbus native (DeSales High School, where he was a state wrestling champion)
and a 1997 graduate of Ohio State. He played for the Buckeyes from 1992-96, redshirting the
first year and then starting the next four seasons at nose guard. He started a school-record 50
consecutive games between 1993 and 1996.
Fickell concluded his Ohio State career with 212 total tackles, including 26 tackles-for-loss
and six sacks. During his four years in the starting lineup, the Buckeyes posted a combined
record of 41-8-1 overall and were 26-5-1 in Big Ten play with a pair of Big Ten co-championships
to their credit. With the win over Arizona State in the Rose Bowl, the Buckeyes finished the 1996
season with a sparkling 11-1 record and were second in the nation in both major polls in the
final rankings.
Luke and his wife, Amy (an Ohio State physical therapy graduate), have four children: Landon,
Luca, and twins Aydon and Ashton.
45
COACHING ASSIGNMENTS
2012
Defensive Coordinator/LBs....................... Ohio State
2011
Head Coach.............................................. Ohio State
2005-2011 Co-Defensive Coordinator/LBs.................. Ohio State
2004Linebackers............................................... Ohio State
2002-2003 Special Teams Coordinator....................... Ohio State
2000-2001 Defensive Line Coach....................................... Akron
1999
Graduate Assistant................................... Ohio State
2 0 1 2
TOM HERMAN
OH IO
S TAT E
F OOT B A L L
1ST SEASON
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/QUARTERBACKS
QUICK FACTS
Hometown: Simi Valley, Calif. (born in Cincinnati)
High School: Simi Valley
Alma Mater: Cal Lutheran, 1997
Master’s Degree: University of Texas, 2000
Year in Coaching: 13th (First year at Ohio State)
Wife: Michelle
Children: Daughter, Priya, and son, Maddock
Tom Herman, the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Iowa State University the
past three years, and before that an offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for record-setting
offenses at Rice University, is in his first season as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator and
quarterbacks coach.
“Tom Herman has one of the bright young minds in college football,” Ohio State coach Urban
Meyer said of his coach who is, indeed, intellectual enough to be a member of the national highIQ society, MENSA. “His philosophies are very similar to those of my own.”
Herman’s 2011 Iowa State offense put up 44 points in a triple-overtime win over Iowa and
tallied 37 in a double-overtime upset of then-undefeated and No. 2 Oklahoma State. The offense
averaged nearly 390 total yards per game.
“To work with and for Coach Meyer is an exciting opportunity for me,” Herman said. “I am
really looking forward to working with him and learning about his offensive systems.”
Herman has 11 years experience as a collegiate coach, including seven seasons as an
offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, and 13 when his two seasons - 1999-2000 - as a
graduate assistant at Texas are included. He coached four years at Sam Houston State (200104), serving as receivers coach and special teams coordinator. He also spent two years at Texas
State (2005-06) and two years at Rice (2007-08) as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks
coach.
While his Texas State offenses led the Southland Conference in total offense each season,
his time at Rice was particularly notable. His offenses broke over 40 school records and in his
second season the Owls won 10 games and went to a bowl for the first time since 1954.
Furthermore, Rice ranked in the Top 10 nationally in 2008 in passing offense (5th; 327.8),
scoring offense (T8th; 41.6) and total offense (10th; 472.3). Two Rice receivers had more than
1,300 yards receiving that year, tight end James Casey had 111 catches and quarterback Chase
Clement was the Conference USA MVP.
Herman was born in Cincinnati and still has family there, although he was raised in Simi
Valley, Calif. He played collegiately at California Lutheran, graduating in 1997 with a degree in
business administration. He has a master’s in education from the University of Texas.
Herman and his wife, Michelle, have a daughter, Priya, and a son, Maddock.
COACHING ASSIGNMENTS
2012
Offensive Coordinator/QBs............................................................Ohio State
2009-11
Offensive Coordinator/QBs........................................................... Iowa State
2007-08
Offensive Coordinator/QBs......................................................................Rice
2005-06
Offensive Coordinator/QBs.......................................................... Texas State
2001-04
WRs/Special Teams Coord..............................................Sam Houston State
1999-2000
Offensive Graduate Assistant................................................................Texas
46
2 0 1 2
ED WARINNER
OH IO
S TAT E
F OOT B A L L
1ST SEASON
CO-OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/OFFENSIVE LINE
QUICK FACTS
Hometown: Strasburg, Ohio
High School: Strasburg-Franklin
Alma Mater: Mount Union, 1984
Master’s Degree: Akron, 1985
Year in Coaching: 29th (First year at Ohio State)
Wife: Mary Beth
Children: Madisyn, Merideth and Edward
Ohio native and coaching veteran Ed Warinner, who has worked with four offenses during
his career that have led the nation in rushing, is in his first season as Ohio State’s co-offensive
coordinator and offensive line coach. Warinner will coordinate the Buckeyes’ running game in
this position.
Warinner, the offensive line coach the past two years at Notre Dame and who had the added
responsibility of run game coordinator this past season, will coach his 29th collegiate season in
2012. He was a finalist this past season for the FootballScoop Offensive Line Coach of the Year.
He has nine years of experience in a coordinator position, including three years as offensive
coordinator at Kansas when the Jayhawks averaged 445.5 total yards per game and 35.3 points
during that three-year period.
“I really wanted to hire a coach with coordinator experience,” Ohio State head coach Urban
Meyer said. “That was very important to me. Ed has that experience. His offenses at Kansas
were not only impressive, but they were some of the top offenses in the country.”
Warinner has coached at seven different schools: Akron, Michigan State, Army, Air Force,
Kansas, Illinois and Notre Dame. In addition to his nine years in coordinator positions, he has
spent 15 of the past 20 seasons coaching the offensive line. Earlier this season Rivals.com
named Warinner one of the Top 20 “hottest assistant coaches” in the nation.
After opening his coaching career in 1984 at Akron (running backs), Warinner was linebackers
and secondary coach at Michigan State in 1985-86.
Then came a 13-year run at Army, a period when he coached along the offensive line for seven
years and became a coordinator - offensive - for the first time (1998-99). While Warinner was at
Army the Cadets led the nation in rushing three times.
He left Army to join Fisher DeBerry’s staff at Air Force. He spent three years there as the
offensive line coach and the Falcons led the nation in rushing in 2002 (307.8 yards per game).
The first of two terms at Kansas - 2003-04 - ensued for Warinner, working as offensive line
coach/run game coordinator, before a two-year run with Illinois in the same capacity. In his
second season with the Illini, his rushing attack netted 188.3 yards per game which was the best
by an Illinois team since 1973.
COACHING ASSIGNMENTS
2012
Co-Offensive Coordinator/OL.........................................................Ohio State
2011
OL/Run Game Coordinator.......................................................... Notre Dame
2010
Offensive Line............................................................................. Notre Dame
2009
Assoc. Head Co./OC/QB..................................................................... Kansas
2007-08
Offensive Coordinator/QB................................................................... Kansas
2005-06
OL/Run Game Coordinator...................................................................Illinois
2004
OL/Run Game Coordinator.................................................................. Kansas
2003
Offensive Line..................................................................................... Kansas
2000-02
Offensive Line...................................................................Air Force Academy
1998-99
Offensive Coord/QB............................................................................... Army
1992-97
Offensive Line........................................................................................ Army
1991
Defensive Line....................................................................................... Army
1988-90
Executive Asst./Recruiting..................................................................... Army
1987Centers/Guards...................................................................................... Army
1985-86LB/Secondary........................................................................ Michigan State
1984
Running Backs...................................................................................... Akron
47
Warinner’s talents as an offensive coordinator then took center
stage from 2007-09 while at Kansas. The Jayhawks posted the
three best offenses in terms of total yards and passing yards in
those years and also had three of the top seven scoring seasons in
school history as well.
His 2007 Jayhawks were the nation’s second-highest scoring
team (42.8 points per game) and set a school record by averaging
479.8 yards per game, two huge reasons that Kansas went 12-1
that year with a 24-21 FedEx Orange Bowl victory over Virginia
Tech.
The 2008 Jayhawks averaged 432.4 yards and 33.4 points
per game, respectively, and his final Jayhawk offense averaged
422.4 offensive yards, including a school-record 310.3 passing
yards. Warinner was a finalist for the American Football Coaches
Association’s National Assistant Coach of the Year award
following the 2009 campaign.
He then joined Kelly’s staff at Notre Dame, where he helped
the Irish to consecutive bowl games the past two years; the 2010
Hyundai Sun Bowl and the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl. In 2010
Notre Dame had its best per carry rushing average since 2003
(4.0), a figure that improved to 4.8 in 2011. The Irish offensive line
allowed just 17 sacks this past season and only 20 in 2010.
Warinner was a football and baseball letterman at Mount
Union from 1979-83. He has a bachelor’s degree in physical
education from Mount Union (1984) and a master’s in education
from Akron (1985). He and his wife, Mary Beth, have three
children: daughters Madisyn and Merideth, and a son, Edward.
2 0 1 2
OH IO
KERRY COOMBS
S TAT E
F OOT B A L L
1ST SEASON
CORNERBACKS
QUICK FACTS
Hometown: Colerain, Ohio
High School: Colerain
Alma Mater: Dayton (1983)
Year in Coaching: 30th (First year at Ohio State)
Wife: Holly
Children: Sons Brayden and Dylan;
daughter, Cortney
Kerry Coombs, an assistant coach at the University of Cincinnati the past five years and
before that an outstanding Ohio high school head coach at Colerain, is in his first season in
charge of the Buckeye cornerbacks.
Coombs, associate head coach at UC in addition to his responsibilities as the team’s
defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator, follows the trend of Ohio State assistants
who are not only considered terrific coaches, but are coaches with ties to the state of Ohio.
Coombs grew up in Colerain, graduated from Colerain High School in 1979 and from the
University of Dayton in 1983, and has a master’s degree from Wright State (1996). He was a high
school coach in Ohio for 24 seasons, including a highly successful 16-year run as head coach at
Colerain, located just outside of Cincinnati.
“Kerry Coombs had an incredible record of achievement as a high school head coach and he
is highly regarded as one of the great coaches in Ohio high school football history,” Meyer said.
“I have watched him coach in high school and at the University of Cincinnati and I have great
respect for the way he works. He is a strong recruiter. He knows defense and special teams. And
he is an excellent teacher.”
Coombs has 29 years of coaching behind him as he enters the 2012 season with the
Buckeyes, including five years with the Bearcats. Hired away from Colerain by Brian Kelly after
the 2006 high school season, Coombs was part of Kelly’s three Cincinnati teams that were 33-7
overall and played in BCS bowl games after the 2008 (Orange Bowl vs. Virginia Tech) and 2009
(Sugar Bowl vs. Florida) seasons.
After Kelly left UC for Notre Dame after the 2009 season, Coombs stayed on new UC coach
Butch Jones’ staff. After an initial 4-8 season under Jones, Cincinnati went 10-3 this past
season with a Liberty Bowl win over Vanderbilt.
While at UC Coombs mentored three NFL draft picks: second-team All-American and UC
career interception leader Mike Mickens (Dallas Cowboys), 2007 NCAA interception leader
DeAngelo Smith (Dallas Cowboys) and all-BIG EAST performer Brandon Underwood (Green Bay
Packers). He also coached Haruki Nakamura in 2007, his first year at UC and a year the Bearcats
led the nation with 26 interceptions.
Coombs, a member of the University of Dayton’s 1980 Division III national championship team
while studying secondary education, charged through the high school ranks after his playing
days were over. He spent two seasons as an assistant at Greenhills High School and four at
Lakota before taking over as head coach at Loveland in 1989. Two years later - 1991 - he took
over at Colerain.
In 16 seasons at Colerain Coombs’ teams went to 10 state playoffs, including five state
semifinal berths. His 2004 team won the Division I state championship with a 15-0 mark that
included a record-setting title game win over Canton McKinley, 50-10. It was - and still is - the
most points scored and the largest margin of victory in the Ohio “big school” state title game.
COACHING ASSIGNMENTS
2009-11
Assoc. Head Coach/DBs/Special Teams.........................................Cincinnati
2007-08
Defensive Backs.............................................................................Cincinnati
1991-06
Head Coach...................................................Colerain H.S. (Cincinnati, Ohio)
1989-90
Head Coach................................................................... Loveland (Ohio) H.S.
1985-88
Assistant Coach................................................................. Lakota (Ohio) H.S.
1983-84
Assistant Coach........................................................... Greenhills (Ohio) H.S.
48
Colerain won seven consecutive Greater Miami Conference
championships under Coombs from 2000-06, and Coombs had a
161-34 record as head coach. His overall
head coaching record through 18 seasons is 167-48.
Coombs sent five of his Colerain players to Ohio State,
including Jefferson Kelley in the mid-1990s and most recently
Connor and Spencer Smith and Tyler Moeller.
Coombs and his wife, Holly, are the parents of three grown
children: son Brayden played collegiately at Miami (Ohio) and is
currently on staff with the Cincinnati Bengals; daughter Cortney
played soccer at Ball State; and son Dylan is a freshman football
player and in the Lindner Honors Plus business program at the
University of Cincinnati.
2 0 1 2
OH IO
STAN DRAYTON
S TAT E
F OOT B A L L
2ND SEASON
RUNNING BACKS
QUICK FACTS
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
High School: John Marshall
Alma Mater: Allegheny College, 1993
Years in Coaching: 20th (Second year
at Ohio State)
Wife: Monique
Children: Daughters Amari and Anaya
Stan Drayton’s 20th season of coaching, and his second season at Ohio State, will return the
former All-American running back to the position he played and is most experienced coaching:
running back. Drayton was asked to stay on Ohio State’s coaching staff by new Ohio State coach
Urban Meyer, but that shouldn’t surprise anyone because Drayton has now been hired three
times by Meyer: twice to coach running backs at the University of Florida and now in that same
capacity at Ohio State. While at UF, Drayton helped Meyer and the Gators win the 2006 national
championship.
A Cleveland native and a graduate of John Marshall High School, Drayton came to Ohio State
from the University of Florida, where he served as the Gators’ running backs coach and recruiting
coordinator during the 2010 season; he also served as Florida’s running backs coach from 200507, and held the same position at SEC schools Tennessee (2008) and Mississippi State (2004).
With coaching experience and success at every level, Drayton’s resume includes stints as an
assistant coach at Syracuse (2009), Bowling Green (2000), Villanova (1996-2000), Penn (1995),
Eastern Michigan (1994) and Allegheny (1993). From 2001-03, he served as the offensive quality
control and assistant special teams coach for the Green Bay Packers, helping them to three NFC
playoff appearances. He is a past nominee for the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year award, and
was recognized by Rivals as one of the nation’s top 25 recruiters.
Three times a first-team All-America selection as a running back at Allegheny (Pa.) College,
Drayton is Allegheny’s all-time leading rusher and scorer and was a part of the 1990 Division III
national championship team. He still holds the Division III single-season record for touchdowns
scored per game (3.2). Drayton was a two-time All-American in track as well, competing in the
100 and 200 meter dashes. A 1993 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in English, Drayton was
inducted into the Allegheny College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.
Drayton, who coached Ohio State’s wide receivers in 2011, and his wife Monique have two
daughters: Amari and Anaya.
COACHING ASSIGNMENTS
2012
Running Backs..................................................................................Ohio State
2011
Wide Receivers................................................................................Ohio State
2010
Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator...................................................Florida
2009
Running Backs.................................................................................... Syracuse
2008
Running Backs..................................................................................Tennessee
2005-07
Running Backs........................................................................................Florida
2004
Running Backs.......................................................................Mississippi State
2001-03
Off. Quality Con./Special Teams......................................... Green Bay Packers
2000
Running Backs/Special Teams.........................................Bowling Green State
1996-99
Running Backs....................................................................................Villanova
1995
Asst. RB/Dir. of FB Operations.....................................................Pennsylvania
1994
Graduate Assistant...............................................................Eastern Michigan
1993
Running Backs......................................................................Allegheny College
49
2 0 1 2
TIM HINTON
OH IO
S TAT E
F OOT B A L L
1ST SEASON
TIGHT ENDS/FULLBACKS
QUICK FACTS
Hometown: Amanda, Ohio
High School: Amanda-Clearcreek
Alma Mater: Wilmington, 1982
Master’s Degree: Ohio State, 1987
Year in Coaching: 31st (First at Ohio State)
Wife: Bev
Children: Daughters Dawn and Drew
Tim Hinton, who has coached in or recruited the state of Ohio for 30 years, is in his first
season as the Ohio State tight ends and fullbacks coach. Hinton was the running backs coach at
Notre Dame the past two seasons.
Hinton will be in his 17th collegiate coaching season this year and his 31st year of coaching
overall. His coaching resume includes 11 highly successful seasons as the head coach at
Harding High School in Marion, Ohio. He led Harding to five state playoff berths and five
conference titles and he was the 1995 Ohio Division I co-Coach of the Year.
“Tim is an awesome coach,” Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said. “He and I worked
together on the Ohio State staff in 1986, but what I am most impressed with is his time spent
as a high school coach in Ohio. He had some outstanding teams at Harding and his extensive
experiences coaching in the state were crucial in my desire to want him on our staff.”
Hinton’s 30 seasons of coaching experience includes 16 seasons in the collegiate ranks with
positions at Ohio State, Wilmington, Ohio, Cincinnati and Notre Dame, and 14 years as a head
coach at three Ohio high schools: Zane Trace (1987-88); Van Wert (1989) and Harding (19932003).
“I have always felt it would be an honor to have an opportunity to coach for and to represent
Ohio State,” Hinton said. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to work with great
people and great coaches at such a wonderful place.”
This past season at Notre Dame running back Cierre Wood rushed for 1,102 yards and nine
touchdowns. In 2010, a quartet of Notre Dame rushers combined for 1,517 yards and a 4.8
yards per carry average and, impressively, fumbled only twice all season and both occurred in
the same game.
Excellent ball protection was also evident among Hinton’s running backs at the University of
Cincinnati, where he coached six years between 2004-09, including three seasons under former
Ohio State assistant and current Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio. Neither of his two
leading rushers during the 2009 UC season lost a fumble in 195 carries.
Hinton spent his first three seasons as running backs coach for Dantonio’s Bearcats teams.
After coaching linebackers for the first year of the Kelly administration, he moved back to
running backs for the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
Dantonio pulled Hinton from the high school ranks back into the college ranks after Hinton’s
COACHING ASSIGNMENTS
2012
Tight Ends/Fullbacks......................................................................Ohio State
2010-11
Running Backs............................................................................ Notre Dame
2009
RBs/Recruiting Coordinator............................................................Cincinnati
2008
Running Backs................................................................................Cincinnati
2007Linebackers.....................................................................................Cincinnati
2004-06
Running Backs................................................................................Cincinnati
1993-03
Head Coach.........................................................Marion (Ohio) Harding H.S.
1991-92
Defensive Line/Strength Coach.............................................................. Ohio
1990
Wide Receivers....................................................................................... Ohio
1989
Head Coach...................................................................Van Wert (Ohio) H.S.
1987-88
Head Coach..............................................Zane Trace (Chillicothe, Ohio) H.S.
1985-86
Graduate Assistant........................................................................Ohio State
1982-84
Tight Ends/Wide Receivers.......................................................... Wilmington
1981
Student Assistant........................................................................ Wilmington
50
11-year run at Harding High School, where in addition to directing
his teams to five state playoff appearances, he developed 13
players who would go on to major college programs. He was
extremely active in the Ohio High School Football Coaches
Association, serving as an officer for six years, including vicepresident of the organization in 2003.
Three seasons at Ohio University, coaching the wide receivers
in 1990 and the defensive line in 1991-92, preceded Hinton’s
position at Harding and followed his first two head coaching
positions at Zane Trace and Van Wert high schools, respectively.
While attending Wilmington College (from which he graduated
in 1982 with a degree in industrial education), Hinton was an
assistant coach at Amanda-Clearcreek High School for three
seasons (1978-80) and then parlayed that experience into a
student-assistant position at Wilmington that started in 1981 and
concluded in 1984. Wilmington won two conference titles during
that time and made two appearances in the NAIA playoffs.
Hinton then enrolled at Ohio State to coach in a graduate
assistant capacity for two seasons (1985-86) under Earle Bruce
and to work on his master’s degree (educational policy and
leadership, 1987). The Buckeyes went to two bowl games and
earned a share of the 1986 Big Ten championship.
Hinton and his wife, Bev, have two daughters: Dawn and Drew.
2 0 1 2
ZACH SMITH
OH IO
S TAT E
F OOT B A L L
1ST SEASON
WIDE RECEIVERS
QUICK FACTS
Hometown: Dublin, Ohio
High School: Dublin Coffman
Alma Mater: University of Florida, 2007
Year in Coaching: Eighth (First year at
Ohio State)
Wife: Courtney
Children: Cameron and Quinn Olivia
Zach Smith, who spent five seasons with Urban Meyer at the University of Florida coaching
players like Percy Harvin, Aaron Hernandez and Louis Murphy, is in his first year as Ohio State’s
wide receivers coach.
The 2012 season will be Smith’s third year of coaching in a fulltime capacity. He previously
had been hired by former Meyer assistants-turned-head coaches Doc Holliday (Marshall) and
Steve Addazio (Temple) as wide receivers and special teams coach.
“I know what a quality coach Zach is,” Meyer said. “He knows my system inside and out and
he teaches the system the way I want it to be taught.”
Smith spent five years as a graduate assistant and quality control assistant for Meyer at
Florida, during which time Florida won a pair of national championships while producing some
of the best offensive and special teams units in the country. Smith was a special teams quality
control coach for three years (2005-07) and an offensive graduate assistant for the 2008 and
2009 seasons. He assisted with coaching the UF wide receivers, quarterbacks and special teams
during his time in Gainesville.
Smith left Florida to work on Holliday’s staff at Marshall for the 2010 season. He then moved
on to Temple when Steve Addazio took over this year.
Marshall’s receivers totaled 152 catches for 1,824 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2010 and
featured all-Conference USA performer Aaron Dobson. Temple’s receivers managed 66 catches
for 961 yards and eight touchdowns despite the Owls featuring the seventh-best rushing offense
in the country and the top unit in the Mid-American Conference.
Additionally, Temple’s special teams ranked first in the MAC in kickoff returns and second in
net punting and punt returns. Those units also ranked fourth, 14th and 23rd nationally. Temple
won nine games this past season, including its first bowl win (37-15 over Wyoming in the Gildan
New Mexico Bowl) in 32 years.
Smith, who attended Dublin Coffman High School and who is a 2007 graduate of the
University of Florida with a degree in sports management, and his wife Courtney have one son,
Cameron (2), and an infant daughter, Quinn Olivia.
COACHING ASSIGNMENTS
2012
Wide Receivers..............................................................................Ohio State
2011
WRs/Special Teams Coord................................................................. Temple
2010
WRs/Special Teams Coord.............................................................. Marshall
2005-09
GA/Quality Control Coach....................................................................Florida
51
2 0 1 2
MIKE VRABEL
OH IO
S TAT E
F OOT B A L L
2ND SEASON
DEFENSIVE LINE
QUICK FACTS
Hometown: Akron, Ohio
High School: Walsh Jesuit
College: Ohio State University, 2004
Year in Coaching: Second (Second
year at Ohio State)
Wife: Jennifer
Children: Sons Tyler and Carter
Mike Vrabel, one of the great defensive linemen in the history of the Big Ten Conference, will
coach the Ohio State defensive line in 2012 as part of Urban Meyer’s first Ohio State coaching
staff. Vrabel is in his second season as a collegiate coach after coaching the Ohio State
linebackers in 2011.
Vrabel, who has his degree from Ohio State in exercise science, was a dominant performer
for the Buckeyes while earning two Big Ten Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year honors
(1995 and 1996). He was the first to win the award two times and he also earned back-to-back
All-America honors those same seasons.
Vrabel twice set the Ohio State single season record for sacks and tackles for loss (TFL) and
he still holds school records for career sacks (36) and single season and career TFLs (26 in 1995
and 66). Heading into the 2011 season Vrabel still ranked among the NCAA’s all-time Top 5 in
career TFLs (third), career sacks (tied for third) and single season TFLs (tied for fifth). Those three
totals are each the most in Big Ten Conference history as well.
The Akron, Ohio, native embarked on what would become a distinguished NFL career with
three teams following his Ohio State playing days. It was a professional career that saw him a
part of the New England Patriots’ dynamic run of three Super Bowls in four years (2001, 2003,
2004). In 2007, as a member of the Patriots, he was named to the Pro Bowl and a month later
was named All-Pro.
On top of these accomplishments, Vrabel’s professional career included 206 games played
with Pittsburgh, New England and Kansas City, 140 starts and enough impressive statistics
- 57 sacks, 11 interceptions, 17 forced fumbles and 11 touchdowns receiving (as a tight end),
including two in Super Bowls - that one has to conclude he is one of the great performers in a
team sport that Ohio State has ever produced.
Drafted in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft by Pittsburgh, Vrabel spent four years with
the Steelers and played in 51 games. He was a starter for eight seasons with the Patriots,
playing in 125 games and starting 110 games. He spent the last two years with Kansas City
playing in and starting 30 games.
Vrabel retired from the NFL in July 2011 after 14 years in the league and joined coach Luke
Fickell’s staff at Ohio State in the role of linebackers coach.
Vrabel, who graduated from Ohio State in 2004, attended Walsh Jesuit High School in Akron.
He and his wife, Jennifer, are the parents of two sons: 10-year-old Tyler and 9-year-old Carter.
COACHING ASSIGNMENTS
2012
Defensive Line...............................................................................Ohio State
2011Linebackers....................................................................................Ohio State
52
2 0 1 2
OH IO
MICKEY MAROTTI
S TAT E
F OOT B A L L
1ST SEASON
ASSISTANT AD FOR FB SPORTS PERFORMANCE
QUICK FACTS
Hometown: Ambridge, Pa.
High School: Ambridge
Alma Mater: West Liberty State, 1987
Master’s Degrees: Ohio State University, 1988;
West Virginia, 1990
Year in Strength & Conditioning: 26th (First
year at Ohio State)
Wife: Susie
Children: Son, Mitchell, and daughter, Maddie
Mickey Marotti is in his first season as the assistant athletic director for football sports
performance at Ohio State. He is the one person Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer trusts in
the critical area of strength and conditioning training and overseeing sports performance, and he
is an individual Meyer has worked with or hired four times now.
“There are times in the year when the strength staff has more contact with the team than the
coaching staff,” Meyer said, “and I have complete trust in Mickey Marotti’s abilities to prepare
our student-athletes to be the strongest, fastest and mentally toughest football players they can
be.”
Marotti, called a “master” of motivation and mental preparation by Meyer when the two were
paired at Florida, first worked with Meyer when the two were graduate assistants at Ohio State,
in 1987. Marotti, who also worked as Grove City High School’s strength coach that year, earned
a master’s of arts degree in strength and conditioning from Ohio State before moving on to the
University of West Virginia to be a strength assistant. He graduated from WVU in two years with
a master’s of science degree in sports medicine.
From there he went on to the University of Cincinnati, where he spent seven seasons (199097) as head strength and conditioning coach for UC’s 20-sport program. He also worked in the
areas of diet analysis and planning and assisted in student-athlete rehabilitation from injuries.
Midway through Meyer’s five-year run as an assistant coach at Notre Dame, Marotti had
the opportunity to work with him again when he was named Notre Dame’s director of strength
and conditioning in 1998. He spent seven seasons in South Bend, coordinating all aspects of
the strength and conditioning program for the 26-sport department, including developing a
year-round program for the football team, coordinating camps, clinics and special events, and
developing policies and regulations.
Marotti was then one of Meyer’s first hires when he took over as head coach of Florida
in early 2005. And for the last seven years Marotti has overseen the complete strength and
conditioning programs for all of Florida’s intercollegiate sports. He also served as the director of
the football athletic performance team.
Unique in the fact he is one of only 100 strength trainers to hold a Master of Strength and
Conditioning – the highest honor in his profession – certification, Marotti is also atypical in the
things he has his players do – haul rocks; flip tires, midnight workouts, etc. – that all lead to
developing a mental and physical edge.
“I believe the strength staffs that Mickey has led have been the best staffs in college
football,” Meyer said. “He is the best there is at developing physically and mentally tough
football players.”
COACHING ASSIGNMENTS
2012
Asst. AD for FB Sports Performance .............................................Ohio State
2005-11
Director of Strength and Conditioning.................................................Florida
1998-2005
Director of Strength and Conditioning........................................ Notre Dame
1990-98
Head Strength and Conditioning Coach..........................................Cincinnati
1989-90
Strength Assistant....................................................................West Virginia
1987-88
Graduate Assistant Strength Coach...............................................Ohio State
1987-88
Head Strength Coach................................................... Grove City (Ohio) H.S.
53
Marotti’s talents have helped Florida develop 22 All-Americans
and eight first-round NFL draft choices during his seven years in
Gainesville. And there is no disputing the team accomplishments
the Gators have achieved: two national championships, two
Southeastern Conference championships and three 13-win
seasons.
A native of Ambridge, Pa., Marotti was a four-year letterwinner
as a fullback for West Liberty (W.Va.) University, serving as a team
tri-captain in 1986 and winning first team NAIA All-Academic
honors in 1987. He is a 1987 graduate with a degree in exercise
physiology.
Marotti and his wife, the former Susan Laffey, have a teen-age
son and daughter, Mitchell and Madison.
2 0 1 2
OH IO
S TAT E
F OOT B A L L
FOOTBALL SUPPORT STAFF
Kirk Barton
Graduate Assistant
Coach
Brad Bertani
Assistant AD,
Compliance
Dana Blount
Academic Counselor
Dr. Jim Borchers
Team Physician
Deb Broeker
Administrative Office
Associate
Doug Calland
Head Athletics Trainer
Rick Court
Assoc. Dir., FB Strength
and Conditioning
Greg Gillum
Director, High School
Relations
Matt Groom
Graduate Assistant
Coach
Amy Halpin
Coord., FB Admin. &
Special Events
Kristin Holbrook
Physical Therapist
David Graham
Asst. Provost, StudentAthlete Success
Stan Jefferson
Assoc. Director, Player
Development
Dr. Chris Kaeding
Head Team Physician
Rob Lachey
Manager, Athletics
Equipment
Fernando Lovo
FB Operations
Coordinator
Drew Mehringer
Graduate Assistant
Coach
John Macko
Senior Academic
Counselor
Darrell Mayne
Academic Counselor
Bill Moffitt
Assistant Building
Coordinator, WHAC
Mark Pantoni
Director of Player
Personnel
Kenny Parker
Asst. Strength and
Conditioning Coach
Sean Perkins
Building Services
Coordinator
Dr. Ray Pongonis
Team Physician
Mark Quisenberry
Video Coordinator
Larry Romanoff
External Relations
Anthony Schlegel
Asst. Strength and
Conditioning Coach
Shannon Smith
Administrative
Associate
Bob Sweeney
Athletic Trainer
Mike Sypniak
Assistant Athletics
Trainer
David Trichel
Director, Video Post
Production
Jeff Uhlenhake
Asst. Strength and
Conditioning Coach
Lewis VanHoose
Equipment Manager
54
Brian Voltolini
Director of Football
Operations
Sarah Wick
Team Dietition &
Nutritionist