Sometimes these hirings just make sense. Ohio State co-defensive coordinator and Cincinnati native Luke Fickell has reportedly been hired as the Bearcats’ new coach, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg and Fox Sports’ Bruce Feldman, elevating a career that almost ground to a halt. A source tells CBS Sports that Ohio State players are expected to be informed of Fickell’s departure following Saturday’s practice. Cincinnati is planning to inform its players at a team meeting Saturday afternoon. It was five years ago this month Fickell had completed a tumultuous year as Ohio State’s interim coach. Jim Tressel left the program in a lurch — and perhaps forever damaged his integrity — by lying to the NCAA in what now seems a petty Tattoogate scandal. But the cover-up is always worse than the crime. After Tressel was fired in May 2011, Fickell was named interim coach. At that point, he was a…
Continue Reading: Cincinnati reportedly gives Ohio State's Luke Fickell his head coaching shot