Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State Not Looking in a Mirror, but at a Little Brother

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Rutgers head coach Chris Ash is attemping to build a team like Urban Meyer’s Ohio State Buckeyes.

When Ohio State hosts Rutgers today, the Buckeyes will not be like looking into a mirror, but at a little brother. Rutgers head coach Chris Ash is attempting to build a football team along the lines of Urban Meyer’s at Ohio State, but the program is still in it’s infancy.

When the two teams take the field in Ohio stadium, there will be similarities in both the offensive and defensive schemes. Several coaches for Rutgers were assistants for the Buckeyes, on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. There is also a former assistant to  Mickey Marotti who is now their strength and conditioning coach.

This is why I said Rutgers was like a little brother. I’m not trying to be disparaging toward the Scarlet Knights at all.

It’s just that coach Ash has learned from a head coach who has won three national championships and he is trying to emulate him. However, it takes some time to grow until one can compete with the older brother.

Everything I have heard from Urban Meyer and others, coach Ash has Rutgers on the right track. Also, he took his mentor’s advice and took a head coaching job at a school that has had success in the past and is located in a hotbed of recruiting. New Jersey’s State College certainly fits each criteria.

More from Scarlet and Game

In a couple more recruiting classes everything could change. Urban Meyer won a National Championship in his third year at Ohio State. Maybe Chris Ash can change things around quickly as well.

More than likely if coach Ash has success at Rutgers, it will be similar to Mark Dantonio at Michigan State. The Spartans coach built a solid program along the lines of his mentor Jim Tressel but it took a little longer. Not everybody is a rock star when it comes to recruiting like Urban Meyer, who also coaches at a traditional power like Ohio State.

When the Buckeyes take on the Scarlet Knights in their first meeting with coach Ash as head coach, you may see similar offensive and defensive schemes. However, it won’t look as though you are seeing double but more like an older boy playing against his younger brother.

Who knows, with Chris Ash at the helm for Rutgers that could change in a couple of years.

This article originally appeared on

share

Get more from Ohio State Buckeyes Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Ohio State Buckeyes