Luke Fickell Gets Five Game Job Interview

Luke Fickell was promotoed to Assistant Head Coach has been named the interim Head Football Coach while Jim Tressel serves his five game suspension at the beginning of the 2011 season this fall.

From Ohio State Buckeyes dot com:

Luke Fickell has been promoted to assistant head coach for Ohio State football, Gene Smith, associate vice president and director of athletics, announced today. In that role, he will serve as interim head coach for the first five games of the Buckeyes’ 2011 season. He will also retain his role as linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator.

“Luke Fickell is a Buckeye to the core. He has earned this promotion to assistant head coach through his hard work, dedication and performance,” said Smith. “ We have great trust and belief in Luke’s ability to work with our entire coaching staff to lead our young men through the first five games this fall. I have confidence our entire football family will work together to maintain our standard of excellence.”

We have to think this is going to be a working interview for Fickell, right? I mean I know that everyone is basically pencilling in Urban Meyer to replace Tressel at the end of his run, but Luke Fickell seems to be a rising star and I don’t think too many fans would be upset with him as the head coach in waiting.

There was a lot talked about at the Spring Press Conference. Lots of Tressel Senator-speak (both from Tressel himself and from Fickell). The O-Zone has a good recap by Brandon Castel. They also have snap shot of the spring roster up at their site.

Comments

  1. Cloud of Dust says

    Go ahead and put me down for Fickell over Meyer. Urban’s a fine coach, but I would have a much harder time supporting him than I would Fickell.

  2. @CoD – If the program is looking to “clean up its image” than Fickell is the way to go. He passes the “look test” and he is sounding very much like a junior senator.

    If we are saying we’re just interested in winning, well I think Urban fits that bill.

    But I’m with you, I’m on #TeamFickell.

  3. Fickell is already somewhat of a hot commodity. He was a finalist for the head coaching spot at Miami of Ohio.

    Fickell will get a TON of national exposure those first 5 games. It will be interesting to see how the offense is called with Fickell at the helm. With a rather inexperienced defense and no Pryor we shouldn’t expect anything but good old fashioned Tressel ball for 5 games.

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…after those first 5 games…Rodderick Smith comes out as the #1 running back.

  4. I am likewise a fan of Fickell. My son goes to the Buckeye football camp every year and I have a chance to see him work first-hand–I personally like the way he coaches, and I think the relentlessness of the D is due to him. I’m very curious to see how the O runs under Fickell. If we expect to keep him around, this is the best shot to see how he handles the job.

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