Former Rutgers Head Coach Chris Ash Expected To Be Named Defensive Coordinator At Texas

Chris Ash
Photo credit Noah K. Murray/USA Today Sports

DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - After a disappointing season which resulted in the firings of both their offensive and defensive coordinators, the Texas Longhorns have seemingly found their new defensive play-caller in former Rutgers head coach, Chris Ash.  

This was first reported by Chip Brown of Horns247 and 247Sports. 

Former #Rutgers coach Chris Ash, who ran the defense while Tom Herman ran the offense on Ohio State's 2014 national title team, is expected to become Herman's new defensive coordinator at #Texas, multiple sources told Horns247.https://t.co/08QMLFZ0xq.

— Chip Brown (@ChipBrown247) December 15, 2019

The decision to move on from former defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, came as the result of a subpar year on the defensive side of the ball, in which the team ranked 108th nationally in total defense as well as 74th in scoring defense. 

Ash, who previously held the defensive coordinator role at Ohio State in the 2014 and 2015 seasons, parlayed his team's success into the head coaching job at Rutgers, where his team went 8-32 overall in three seasons. Ash also served as the defensive coordinator for the Wisconsin Badgers for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, and for the Arkansas Razorbacks in 2013. 

Ash won a national championship as the Buckeyes co-defensive coordinator under Urban Meyer in 2014 and did so alongside current Texas head coach Tom Herman, who was the offensive coordinator at the time. 

2015 was the Buckeyes best defensive season under Ash, with the team ranking second in the nation in scoring defense, ninth in total defense, 16th in pass defense, and 22nd in rush defense. 

Throughout his career, Ash has specialized in coaching defensive backs, in addition to his coordinator duties, and is known to favor a scheme similar to that of TCU Head Coach, Gary Patterson.

After being fired midway through the season, and thanks to his pre-existing relationship with Herman, Ash became an analyst for the Longhorns for the remainder of the 2019 campaign. 

Sources also indicated to Brown that the Longhorns are not expected to make an official announcement regarding Ash until after National Signing day on, which begins on Wednesday, December 18th.