Ohio State hires former NFL DC Bill Davis as assistant defensive coach

Once Luke Fickell decided to take the head coaching position at Cincinnati, the Buckeyes were short a defensive coach. But they didn’t need to wait very long before finding a replacement.

Per a university release, Ohio State has hired Bill Davis, the former defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, as a defensive assistant coach. Davis’ specific position group and responsibilities are still to be determined.

Davis, who went to Cincinnati with Urban Meyer, had been working as an analyst on Ohio State’s staff. He spent 24 years in the NFL, virtually his entire career. Davis last worked in the college ranks as a graduate assistant at Michigan State.

Given his long background in the NFL as a linebackers position coach, and given that Fickell worked with linebackers himself, it seems probable that Davis will work with Ohio State’s linebackers in some capacity. Whether his job title is defensive coordinator, or simply a position coach (with perhaps Greg Schiano taking full DC responsibilities), is unclear, but we should find out soon.