COREY DENNIS IS CONFIDENT HE'S READY FOR THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LEADING OHIO STATE'S QUARTERBACK ROOM
One way or another, Corey Dennis was going to become a full-time college football quarterbacks coach in 2020.
Initially, that opportunity came at Colorado State, where Dennis was set to join Steve Addazio’s staff following the conclusion of Ohio State’s 2019 season. When Mike Yurcich chose to leave Ohio State to become the new offensive coordinator at Texas, however, Ryan Day offered Dennis the opportunity to become the Buckeyes’ new quarterbacks coach, and Dennis didn’t hesitate to accept that offer.
“It was a no-brainer,” Dennis said Wednesday in his first media availability since his promotion last month. “This is where I want to be. I want to be here. I've kind of always wanted to be here. This is an unbelievable place. So for me to sit here and not say that I'm ecstatic, it's crazy.”
Dennis has been at Ohio State since 2015, when he joined the Buckeyes’ coaching staff as an intern following his graduation from Georgia Tech. Over the past five years, Dennis worked his way up to a position as a senior quality control coach, and worked directly with the Buckeyes’ signal-callers as assistant quarterbacks coach for each of the past two seasons.
Still, there’s been some understandable skepticism about Day’s decision to promote Dennis. His initial opportunity to join the Buckeyes’ staff came about largely because he was engaged (and is now married) to Urban Meyer’s daughter Nicki, and the 27-year-old has never been a full-time assistant coach in charge of leading a position group before.
Ohio State typically hires assistant coaches who already have a proven track record elsewhere, so Dennis can be viewed as an unusual hire in that regard. But he has had five years at Ohio State, including three with Day, to demonstrate he is up to the task.
“Coach Day wouldn't have hired me if he didn't think that I was ready,” Dennis said. “I think I'm ready. Coach Day thinks I'm ready. I have a lot of coaches here, (offensive coordinator Kevin) Wilson, the guys believe in me. I've had players believe in me, and I think I'm ready to go.
“Working with Coach Day the last three years, you could say that I've interviewed for this job every day for the last three years. He's seen what I've done. He knows the way that I prepare. He knows the way that I do things.”
Dennis said he has “tried to be a sponge” for the past five years, soaking in as much knowledge as he can from Day, Meyer, Wilson and the rest of Ohio State’s coaching staff. In particular, Dennis believes working alongside Day and learning from his expertise of coaching quarterbacks has prepared him for his new role.
“Being able to be in that room with Coach Day for the last three years, that's something that's been unbelievable to me,” Dennis said. “Just being around him, seeing the way that he does things, seeing his teaching methods. In all honesty, Coach Day is the best quarterbacks coach in the country.”
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