Luke Fickell is Ohio State's top man
There is no question Luke Fickell has a passion for Ohio State football, but as the program is in the aftermath of Jim Tressel and an ongoing NCAA investigation, did athletic director Gene Smith make the right decision in naming Fickell head coach? Ohio State has a tarnished reputation amidst the cash and tattoo scandal. In an opportunity to show the public that the university wants to change its image, the AD made a questionable move by hiring an individual with strong ties to the program.
Fickell, who may be well suited for the job, has been part of the OSU staff for over ten years. When recently asked about the pending scandal, Fickell responded by saying he did not know of any NCAA violations and only learned once it became public.
This kind of response is exactly what Ohio State does not need. Is Fickell being truthful, who knows? What the pubic does know is Fickell has been immersed in Buckeye football playing nose tackle from ’92-‘96 and on the coaching staff since 2000. This kind of pedigree makes it extremely difficult to believe he did not know or at least have a notion that violations existed. Moreover as co-defensive coordinator, Fickell would have spent a lot of time around Tressel and Ohio State’s top players. It seems doubtful Fickell did not know what was happening outside the locker room.
At this point, Ohio State is asking us to believe a coach so involved with the program knew nothing of the players’ improprieties. This is akin to believing Bernie Madoff’s sons, who worked in Madoff’s office, had no idea of his lucrative ponzi scheme.
Fickell is a lame-duck coach taking over a program in serious turmoil. Ohio State would have been better suited, from a public perspective, to clean house and hire new coaches with no ties to Ohio State. With Fickell running the show, his legacy will be determined on whether or not he can sustain a successful program while keeping it clean. His first task at hand is to see how he handles the already suspended players going forward, most notably RB Daniel Herron and WR DeVier Posey.
Taking over at OSU is a monumental task. Fickell, who never held a head coaching position, will certainly be under a microscope for the coming seasons. This was a bold move by Smith, and only time will tell if this move pays off.
