DT Luke Fickell (HC Wisconsin Badgers)

[Buckskin86]

Ohio State football: Fickell could be stand-in for Tressel
Friday, March 11, 2011
By Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

No matter what else happens in the Jim Tressel case, Ohio State already has decided that its football coach won't be on the sideline or even in Ohio Stadium for the first two games of the 2011 season.

With Tressel suspended for a major violation of NCAA rules, the Buckeyes will need to designate an acting coach for games in September against Akron and Toledo. The buzz has been building that the nod will go to co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell.

Tressel used to have an assistant head coach, but that person, Darrell Hazell, left in December to become head coach at Kent State. Since then, speculation has been that Tressel would recommend Fickell for the position this spring. Fickell coaches linebackers and works with fellow coordinator Jim Heacock on the defensive game plan.

Ohio State announced penalties against Tressel on Tuesday because he failed to notify the school that he had been made aware of potential NCAA rules violations in the program. Because of those violations, six players are facing suspensions in the 2011 season. Tressel, who also has been fined $250,000 by Ohio State, could face further penalties from the NCAA.

A check of Fickell's personnel file yesterday revealed just four minor rules violations in 10 years as an Ohio State assistant, and none since 2005.

Cont..

http://www.dispatch.com/live/conten...ll-could-be-stand-in-for-tressel.html?sid=101

 

[starBUCKS]

Luke Fickell was officially promoted to Assistant Head Coach. Will serve as interim coach in fall.

Official.site

Fickell Promoted to Assistant Head Coach

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Luke Fickell has been promoted to assistant head coach for Ohio State football, Gene Smith, associate vice president and director of athletics, announced today. In that role, he will serve as interim head coach for the first five games of the Buckeyes? 2011 season. He will also retain his role as linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator.

"Luke Fickell is a Buckeye to the core. He has earned this promotion to assistant head coach through his hard work, dedication and performance," said Smith. "We have great trust and belief in Luke's ability to work with our entire coaching staff to lead our young men through the first five games this fall. I have confidence our entire football family will work together to maintain our standard of excellence."

Fickell is in his 10th year on the Ohio State coaching staff. He coaches the Buckeyes linebackers and is co-defensive coordinator, a role he assumed in April, 2005. In 2010, he was selected as the AFCA?s Assistant Coach of the Year for FBS schools, and was also named Linebacker Coach of the Year by Football Scoop.

"I am honored to be able to grow at a place and in a program that I know, love and respect. It is extremely humbling," said Fickell.

A Columbus native and graduate of DeSales High School, where he was a state wrestling champion, Fickell is a 1997 graduate of Ohio State, where he was a four-year starter at nose guard. Post-graduation, Fickell spent a year on the injured reserve list with the New Orleans Saints before beginning his coaching career.

During his first two years at Ohio State, Fickell was in charge of the special teams and assisted with the defensive front. In his role as special teams coordinator, Fickell had specific responsibility for the punting team. Under his tutelage, that unit excelled, leading the Big Ten in net punting in three of the past six years.

Fickell played for the Buckeyes from 1992-96, redshirting the first year and then starting the next four seasons at nose guard. He started a school-record 50 consecutive games between 1993 and 1996.

Fickell concluded his Ohio State career with 212 total tackles, including 26 tackles-for-loss and six sacks. During his four years in the starting lineup, the Buckeyes posted a combined record of 41-8-1 overall and were 26-5-1 in Big Ten play with a pair of Big Ten co-championships to their credit. With the win over Arizona State in the Rose Bowl, the Buckeyes finished the 1996 season with a sparkling 11-1 record and were second in both major polls in the final rankings.

Luke and his wife, Amy (an Ohio State graduate), have four children: Landon, Luca, and twins Aydon and Ashton.

A final version of Fickell's updated contract has not been completed.

Congrats Luke!
​

 

[BB73]

Obviously, those 5 games can serve as an on-the-job evaluation for Luke as a potential successor to JT, whenever that may be.

With Heacock and Bollman functioning as coordinators for those 5 games, this seems like a good move.


NOTE - Moved this thread from the alumni section to the regular football forum, it makes more sense there at least until the 'Interim HC' period is over.

 

[unionfutura]

Obviously, those 5 games can serve as an on-the-job evaluation for Luke as a potential successor to JT, whenever that may be.

With Heacock and Bollman functioning as coordinators for those 5 games, this seems like a good move.


NOTE - Moved this thread from the alumni section to the regular football forum, it makes more sense there at least until the 'Interim HC' period is over.

My feeling right now it'll be more than 5.

 

[Apache]

And he is a Saint Francis DeSales grad too.

 

[scarletngray]

I like this decision. It makes all the sense in the world and as others had said,
it will give Luke some on the job training as Coach T's possible successor.

:osu:

 

[Tlangs]

My feeling right now it'll be more than 5.

I think there is a thread for this type of conjecture...however it is closed right now (probably for a reason).

 

[BB73]

I think there is a thread for this type of conjecture...however it is closed right now (probably for a reason).

You're right about the other thread being the place, but I opened it back up a couple of hours ago.

 

[SEREbuckeye]

And he is a Saint Francis DeSales grad too.

Yup. He is an Ohio boy born and raised, reminds me much of Coach Tressel.

Born in Columbus. Graduated from DeSales. Broke the consecutive-starts record while playing NG at Ohio State. Has been officially with the team as a position coach for 10 years now.

If this is the end of the road of Tressel, there couldn't be a better coach to replace him. What I also like most is that he's young. Like the Butler boys basketball HC, Fickell is easily in touch with his players; he's only 37. He has still yet to come into his prime. We let a great young coach in Darrell Hazell (Kent State now) get away. Seems like JT is good at breeding solid ones - Mark Dantonio being he's most valid example.

I truly expect both growing pains and great things to come in the future of Ohio State with Coach Fickell whether it be 5 games or a change in regime.

 

[Gatorubet]

He was co-defensive coordinator and lb coach...so does he continue to do all that and Temp HC - or relinquish some of those duties for the 5 games?

 

[BB73]

He was co-defensive coordinator and lb coach...so does he continue to do all that and Temp HC - or relinquish some of those duties for the 5 games?

I think the only statement about that today was in the beginning of the article above:

Luke Fickell has been promoted to assistant head coach for Ohio State football, Gene Smith, associate vice president and director of athletics, announced today. In that role, he will serve as interim head coach for the first five games of the Buckeyes' 2011 season. He will also retain his role as linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator.

Functionally, they may change some of that on game day, allowing Heacock to handle more things on defense. But JT said he'll be operating on a 24/6 basis for those weeks, rather than 24/7, so game-planning and things like that may be much the same as it has been.

 

[Gatorubet]

I hope it works. Addazio taking on the temp head coach gig and his other duties did not turn out well at all for us, and many UF fans thought it was due to the fact that Coach A wore too many hats, keeping his O-line and OC role as well as the temp Head Coach job.

While that failed effort may have had more to do with the Dazzler than the structure of the assignment, it is something to ponder. I hope with Fickell it is more of a "Title" only thing, and not really trying to fill all the former roles he held - along with adding the new, big one.

 

[Buckskin86]

Fickell maintains perspective in light of promotion
Thursday, March 31, 2011
By Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Luke Fickell's time has come, even if it's only going to be on an interim basis.

Ohio State announced yesterday that Fickell, 37, was promoted to assistant head coach. That means Fickell will serve as interim coach for at least the first five games this fall while coach Jim Tressel serves his suspension for violating NCAA rules. Not that Fickell plans to hijack the role for good.

"Just to make sure we all understand, this is coach Tressel's team," Fickell said.

But Fickell - Columbus native, DeSales High School and Ohio State graduate who started 50 straight games for the Buckeyes at nose guard in the mid-1990s, playing the last, a Rose Bowl win, with a torn pectoral muscle - will be the man out front for the first five games. However fleeting, for an assistant in his 10th season at OSU, it's a dream shot.

"I am obviously very proud to take this opportunity to maybe strengthen and take a new step in my leadership abilities and qualities," Fickell said. "But again, this place is not about one person. It's not about coach Tress. It's not about whoever is going to be wearing that (coach's) headset on Saturday afternoon. It's much bigger than that."

Cont..

http://www.dispatch.com/live/conten...erspective-in-light-of-promotion.html?sid=101

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_0VAgvROQc"]YouTube - Luke Fickell speaks about being named Interim Head Coach and answers questions[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU7Z7rbWLfU"]YouTube - Luke Fickell and Jim Tressel answer questions[/ame]

 

[NFBuck]

I hope it works. Addazio taking on the temp head coach gig and his other duties did not turn out well at all for us, and many UF fans thought it was due to the fact that Coach A wore too many hats, keeping his O-line and OC role as well as the temp Head Coach job.

The difference is, we have Coach Heacock as well...who is, arguable, the best in the business.

This is a great opportunity for Coach Fickell to start to build a resume. If he is a long term possibility as the next HC at Ohio State, here's a nice little audition. If the Bucks perform under him, I'd look for him to be a full time HC somewhere in 2012.

 

[Buckskin86]

Ohio State's Fickell answers call to lead
April, 13, 2011
By Adam Rittenberg

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It's a moment Luke Fickell will never forget, but he won't let it get the best of him.

No one would fault Fickell if he trotted onto the field Sept. 3 at Ohio Stadium and shouted, "This is awesome!" After nine years as a successful assistant coach for Ohio State, Fickell will take on the head-coaching duties for the first time. For his alma mater. In his hometown.

He'll be a few weeks past his 38th birthday.

Sure, the circumstances are less than ideal. Fickell, recently appointed Ohio State's assistant head coach, will be filling in for Jim Tressel during Tressel's five-game suspension for violating NCAA rules. Fickell would much rather serve in his standard role as co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach when Ohio State opens the season against Akron.

AP Photo/Terry Gilliam
Ohio State defensive coordinator Luke Fickell will be calling the plays in coach Jim Tressel's absence.

But the chance to lead Ohio State is an opportunity Fickell doesn't minimize.

"It is exciting, it will be exciting," Fickell recently told ESPN.com. "I'm sure there will be a gamut of emotions. But if you let yourself get drawn into those things and have them occupy your mind, that's not what I need to do. One of my strengths is to not allow my mind to be in those types of situations."

Fickell hasn't allowed his mind to shift into head-coach mode. Not yet, at least.

Tressel is leading Ohio State in spring practice, which frees up Fickell to handle his standard duties of mentoring the linebackers and collaborating with coordinator Jim Heacock and the other defensive assistants. Although the team announced Fickell would be handling Tressel's game-day duties before spring practice, there's no rush to get Fickell ready for game day.

"The week of the game," Tressel said when asked when the process would begin. "You don't rehearse anything about the game until the week of the game. We don't do it in spring, we don't do it in preseason. ... There probably will be very little differences before game week."

Cont...

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/25370/ohio-states-fickell-answers-coaching-call