Ohio State Football Notebook: ‘The last time I applied for a job was 1991’

Not Such a New Face

Corey Dennis may be Ohio State’s new quarterbacks coach, but he’s not a new face among the Buckeye players.

Dennis has been involved with the quarterbacks in one way or another for years. Heck, he’s been at Ohio State longer than any of the actual Buckeye quarterbacks.

Since each player’s arrival, they’ve known Dennis as one of their coaches, but also as a friend and somebody not far from their age who they could talk to. Now, however, he is the voice of the position and carries more authority with him than he did in the past.

Knowing what he does about the players on the roster, he doesn’t expect any kind of acting out from his players regarding his new role.

“The one thing is we have unbelievable players here, so I don’t think that that’d be an issue,” Dennis said. “But then also too, you only get as much respect as is earned. I wasn’t expecting to get anything just ‘Hey, because you’re the quarterback coach.’ Like that’s what it is.

“I feel like it’s something that I’ve kind of built up to since I’ve been an intern. I’ve been around these guys for a long time, so I’ve earned their respect as an intern, as a GA, now as where I am right now. So I’ve definitely climbed the ranks and they know what I’m about.”

Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years?

One of the questions that coaches have to face when they take a new job is how long they plan on sticking around at that job.

Now, in the history of man, no coach has ever given a timeline like, “Two or three years, then I’ll be on to something better.” But the questions get asked anyway.

When Kerry Coombs returned to Ohio State last month as defensive coordinator, he was also asked how long he expected to be around. And just as every other coach in sports history before him, Coombs wasn’t interested in giving a timeframe.

Instead, he chose to remain in the present (and near-future), because it’s been the present that has gotten him this far.

“This is what I’m going to tell you: My aspirations are to be the best coach I can be tomorrow, and I mean that. Because I haven’t looked for a job. The last time I applied for a job was 1991, at Colerain High School,” Coombs said.

“Every job since then, somebody picked up the phone and called me, and it was best for me. It was in my opinion, being directed by a higher source, by God, and I felt like it was the right thing for myself and my family to do. I have every expectation that this is where I’m going to be. I’m telling you, I am excited to be here, and I sure don’t want to think about my next move when I’m just getting here.”

Positing the Transfer Portal Phenomenon

As soon as Ohio State had two quarterbacks signed in the 2020 recruiting class, it was immediately assumed that one of CJ Stroud or Jack Miller would eventually transfer because that’s just the nature of the quarterback position. It is also seemingly the new nature of college sports in general.

Neither Stroud nor Miller chose Ohio State simply to leave it in a year or two. Both have intentions of starting and ending their college careers as Buckeyes.

But it’s also impossible to ignore the presence of the transfer portal, especially when it’s talk about constantly and the last three winners of the Heisman Trophy (and the top three vote-getters in 2019) were all transfers.

So what does Jack Miller think about the transfer phenomenon that is going on today?

“I think it’s a good thing that players are able to have other opportunities besides where they’re at,” he said. “But right now, I’m focused on Ohio State. Both Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts finished their schooling and graduated, then transferred as graduate students. So I feel like I have a lot respect for them for sticking it out and really just putting their heads down and working and then going and really doing what’s best for themselves.”