Kerry Coombs set to meet with Cameron Martinez on Wednesday

Ohio State got some very expected but still huge news with Kerry Coombs being officially announced as the new co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach for the Buckeyes, an appropriate and fantastic hire to replace Jeff Hafley. The energetic Coombs spent two years with the Tennessee Titans, but before that was one of the best recruiters in the country in his previous stint with OSU. The fiery assistant coach is going to waste no time getting right back to business.

There has been much talk of the status of Ohio State’s last remaining unsigned commit Cameron Martinez and his decision hinging on the Hafley replacement. Well, Ryan Day now has his guy, and it appears as though Coombs will be getting acquainted with the recruit right away. After receiving a phone call from the Buckeyes’ head coach on Monday to tell him about the hire, Martinez had a phone conversation with Coombs himself on Tuesday, according to Lettermen Row.

“He was fired up, and I’m his first priority,” Martinez said. “He wanted to see me as soon as he could, and tomorrow works better. So, it’s looking like he’ll be up Wednesday. I’m excited to meet him. That’s all I can really say.”

Coombs will spend some time both at Muskegon High School and at Martinez’s home with his family on Wednesday, with the relationship between the Buckeye assistant and the Michigan native a huge factor in the four-star athlete’s final decision — which will have to be made between now and National Signing Day, set for Feb. 5. If the two hit it off, expect the No. 14 athlete in the 2020 class to be on campus this fall.

Martinez isn’t the only recruit in the country likely to hear from Coombs sooner rather than later, as a bunch of the top defensive backs in the nation are excited to hear about the new (but not really new) man in Columbus.

Jaylin Davies, a four-star defensive back and the No. 9 CB in the 2021 class, said he was “hyped about it,” explaining that he did his homework and knows that Coombs really started “DBU” at OSU and has a good reputation with his players. The No. 5 CB in the class, Jakailin Johnson, also had high praise for the fiery assistant. “When I found out that coach Coombs was returning I got that feeling that that’s the type of coach I needed and I can’t wait to meet the legend,” Johnson said, according to 247sports’ Bill Kurelic.

Quick Hits

• 2021 four-star defensive end Colin Mobley received an offer from Ohio State on Tuesday. The No. 19 SDE and No. 16 recruit in the state of Maryland hails out of DeMatha Catholic, the same high school that produced Chase Young. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Mobley does not yet have any Crystal Ball predictions, but it certainly doesn’t hurt the Buckeyes’ chances of landing him when the last DE to come to Columbus via DeMatha is about to be the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft.
• In the last edition of the Rivals100 for the 2020 cycle, Ohio State signee Jaxon Smith-Njigba earned a fifth star. The upgrade now gives the Buckeyes two signed composite five-star wide receivers in he and Julian Fleming, with four total wideouts in the top 85 players in the class. Linebacker signee Cody Simon also received a bump, as the four-star New Jersey native moved into the top 100 players on 247sports composite rankings.