TAMPA, FL – DECEMBER 8: Coach Greg Schiano of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers directs play against the Buffalo Bills December 8, 2013 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Bucs won 27 – 6. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

When Urban Meyer loses a member of his staff, apparently the rest of the college football world should be very worried. After former co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash left to take on the Rutgers head coaching job, Meyer has apparently gone out and hired a home run hitter to replace him: former Rutgers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano.

The news was first reported by ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter.

Schefter’s news was further verified by Ohio State site Eleven Warriors, along with other reporters.

Just five days ago, it certainly appeared that Schiano would be the odd man out in the game of musical coaching chairs around college football. No head coaching position was going to come his way after the Scarlet Knights didn’t dip back in the Schiano pool and went ahead with someone new.

Instead, Meyer remembered the defensive mind that Schiano brought to the table and decided to give his team a huge boost after Ash’s departure.

Schiano isn’t a stranger to being a defensive coordinator, having held that position during the end of the glory years of Miami (FL) football from 1999-2000. After that season, he was plucked up by Rutgers and immediately set to the job of making the Scarlet Knights a physical and powerful defensive football team first.

As head coach, Schiano finished with a record of 68-67 in his 11-year stint at Rutgers. While that number may not be impressive to some, considering Rutgers’ putrid history on the gridiron, Schiano was a rock star for that school. In his final four years as head coach, the Scarlet Knights defense gave up an average of 20.4 points and 330.1 yards per game. Schiano’s defenses twice led the Big East in total defense and once in scoring defense during those final four years.

Ohio State once again finds itself striking it rich on the coaching front after previously plucking Ash from long-time mentor Bret Bielema a year after that staff moved from Wisconsin to Arkansas.

Schiano sets himself up nicely to also further his career and get back to the head coaching game in short order, should he be successful with the Buckeyes.

About Andrew Coppens

Andy is a contributor to The Comeback as well as Publisher of Big Ten site talking10. He also is a member of the FWAA and has been covering college sports since 2011. Andy is an avid soccer fan and runs the Celtic FC site The Celtic Bhoys. If he's not writing about sports, you can find him enjoying them in front of the TV with a good beer!