Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports The Chris Ash era began in earnest on Monday when Rutgers formally announced him as the new head coach for the football program. I reached out to our colleagues at SB Nation’s Ohio State site, Land Grant Holy Land, asking for their insight on Ash. After turning around the Buckeyes defense the past two seasons, including their national championship season a year ago, Ash is obviously well liked by the OSU faithful. I was fortunate to speak with Colton Denning about his thoughts on the job Ash did at Ohio State and what Rutgers fans can expect from him. What is the consensus regarding the job Ash has done with the OSU defense the past two seasons? What is his style/philosophy from a defensive perspective? Ash did an outstanding job as co-defensive coordinator in his two seasons in Columbus. Prior to his arrival, Ohio State’s defense had the necessary pieces to be one of the better units in the country, but for whatever reason, it never materialized. This was most evident in the 2013 Big Ten Championship game, where the Buckeyes’ inability to defend the pass against Michigan State cost them a shot at the national championship. Ash helped turn a defense that finished 61st in passing S&P+ that season into the 8th rated unit in 2014, despite losing four key players, including a first round draft pick. This turnaround was highlighted during the Buckeyes’ run to the playoff last season, as they shut out Wisconsin and Melvin Gordon, slowed down Amari Cooper (as much as one could), and limited Oregon’s high octane offense to a mere 20 points in the National Championship. It’s been even better this season, as they finished the regular season 8th in Defensive S&P+, while having one of the best pass defense in the country (4th in Passing S&P+) and finishing 2nd nationally in scoring defense…
Continue Reading: Q&A with Land Grant Holy Land on Rutgers hiring Chris Ash
