Kerry Coombs

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Kerry Coombs
Kerry Coombs 2019 12-08.jpg
Coombs with the Tennessee Titans in 2019
Current position
TitleDefensive coordinator
TeamOhio State
ConferenceBig Ten
Annual salary$1.4 million
Biographical details
Born (1961-09-09) September 9, 1961 (age 60)
Colerain, Ohio
Playing career
1981–1982Dayton
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1983–1984Greenhills HS (OH) (assistant)
1985–1988Lakota HS (OH) (assistant)
1989–1990Loveland HS (OH)
1991–2006Colerain HS (OH)
2007–2011Cincinnati (DB)
2009–2011Cincinnati (AHC/DB)
2012–2016Ohio State (CB)
2017Ohio State (ADC/CB)
2018–2019Tennessee Titans (DB)
2020Ohio State (DC/DB)
2021–2022Ohio State (DC)
Head coaching record
Overall161–34

Kerry Coombs (born September 9, 1961)[1] is an American football coach. Coombs is the defensive coordinator at Ohio State University, a position he has held since 2020. Coombs was an assistant coach for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL) in 2018 and 2019.

Coaching career[]

High school (1983–2006)[]

Coombs was a member of the University of Dayton's 1980 Division III National Championship team while studying secondary education. After graduation, he became an assistant coach at two Cincinnati area high schools. In 1989, he accepted the position of head coach at Loveland High School in Loveland, Ohio.

Two years later, he accepted the position of head coach at Colerain High School in Cincinnati, the high school from which he graduated in 1979. In 16 seasons under his leadership, the Colerain Cardinals football team went to ten state playoffs, including five state semifinal berths. In 2004, his team went undefeated (15–0) and won the Division I state championship.[2] During his reign, Colerain won seven consecutive Greater Miami Conference championships from 2000 to 2006. Coombs had a 161–34 record as head coach.[3]

First college stint (2007–2017)[]

In 2007, Coombs accepted the offer from Brian Kelly to join his staff at the University of Cincinnati as the team's defensive backs coach. The Bearcats led the nation with 26 interceptions in 2007. In 2009, Coombs was promoted to associate head coach in addition to his responsibilities as the team's defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator.[4]

In 2012, Coombs accepted a position to become the defensive backs coach at the Ohio State University. In 2016, the Buckeyes ranked fourth nationally with 21 interceptions, including a nation-high seven interceptions returned for touchdowns, and the team ranked third in the country in passing efficiency defense. In 2017, Ohio State head Coach, Urban Meyer, promoted Coombs to the position of assistant coordinator, defense. That year, the Ohio State defense ranked ninth in the NCAA in yards allowed.[5]

NFL (2018–2019)[]

In 2018, Coombs accepted a position to join coach Mike Vrabel's staff with the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL) as a secondary (defensive backs) coach. For the first time in his career, Coombs coached a team in a state other than Ohio. It was also the first time since 1989 that Coombs coached a team that did not have red as the team's primary color. The 2018 Titans ranked sixth in the NFL in passing defense (216.9 yards per game), ranked eighth in the league with an opponent passer rating of 88.4, and finished ninth in the league with a 63.2 opponent completion percentage. Titans defensive backs accounted for 10 total interceptions and an NFL-high nine sacks.[6] In 2019, the Titans defensive back was again a top-10 unit in passing yards and interceptions.[7] The Titans made the playoffs, but lost in the AFC Championship game.

Second college stint (2020–present)[]

In 2020, Ohio State needed to fill the position of defensive coordinator and secondary coach. The search committee quickly set its sights on Coombs. Coombs was highly regarded by the Ohio State coaching staff, administration and fans. Thus, after two successful years in the NFL, Coombs announced his return to Ohio State on January 20, 2020. [8]

Coombs' first year as the defensive coordinator for the Buckeyes was a mixed bag, as the team finished near the top in terms of run defense, but near the bottom in terms of pass defense. The Buckeyes allowed 97.6 rushing yards per game[9] and 3.4 yards per rush,[10] ranking sixth and fifteenth in the FBS, respectively. In terms of pass defense, Ohio State allowed 303.6 yards per game[11] and 7.7 yards per pass attempt,[12] ranking one hundred twenty-second and eighty-second in the FBS, respectively.

Following the 2020 season and the retirement of co-defensive coordinator Greg Mattison, Coombs assumed the role as the sole defensive coordinator, while Matt Barnes succeeded Coombs as secondary coach.[13]

Ohio State's defensive struggles from 2020 continued into the beginning of the 2021 season. The Buckeyes allowed over 400 yards of offense in a week 1 victory against Minnesota,[14] and over 500 yards of offense in a week 2 loss against Oregon.[15] Following Ohio State's week 3 victory over Tulsa, a game where the Buckeyes again allowed over 500 total yards of offense,[16] head coach Ryan Day announced that secondary coach Matt Barnes had called the defensive plays that week, rather than Coombs.[17] Day also indicated that Barnes calling the defensive plays would be a permanent move.[18]

Family life[]

Coombs and his wife, Holly, have three children: daughter Cortney and sons Brayden and Dylan. In 2020, the Detroit Lions hired Brayden as their special teams coordinator.[19]

References[]

  1. ^ "University of Cincinnati Coaches and Staff" (PDF). gobearcats.com. p. 98. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  2. ^ "Ohio High School Athletic Association 2004 Division I Football Championships". ohsaa.org. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  3. ^ "Kerry Coombs Biography". titansonline.com. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  4. ^ "Kerry Coombs is Ohio State's man in Cincinnati". elevenwarriors.com. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  5. ^ "Titans assistant Kerry Coombs' energy comes from others — not just the coffee". tennessean.com. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  6. ^ "Kerry Coombs Biography". titansonline.com. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  7. ^ "NFL Statistics". nfl.com. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  8. ^ "Ohio State (finally) announces Kerry Coombs as co-defensive coordinator, per report". landgrantholyland.com. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  9. ^ "College Football Stats - College FB Team Opponent Rushing Yards per Game | TeamRankings.com". www.teamrankings.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  10. ^ "College Football Stats - College FB Team Opponent Yards per Rush Attempt | TeamRankings.com". www.teamrankings.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  11. ^ "College Football Stats - College FB Team Opponent Passing Yards per Game | TeamRankings.com". www.teamrankings.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  12. ^ "College Football Stats - College FB Team Opponent Yards per Pass Attempt | TeamRankings.com". www.teamrankings.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  13. ^ "Ryan Day promotes from within to replace retiring Greg Mattison". The-Ozone. February 3, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  14. ^ "Ohio State vs. Minnesota - Box Score - September 2, 2021 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  15. ^ "Oregon vs. Ohio State - Box Score - September 11, 2021 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  16. ^ "Tulsa vs. Ohio State - Box Score - September 18, 2021 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  17. ^ "Buckeyes' Day: DC Coombs didn't call plays Sat". ESPN.com. September 19, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  18. ^ Baird, Nathan; clevel; .com (September 19, 2021). "Ohio State football demoted defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs, giving play calling duties to Matt Barnes". cleveland. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  19. ^ "Lions hire Brayden Coombs as special teams coordinator". detroitlions.com. Retrieved January 19, 2020.

External links[]

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