Ohio State Football: Why Luke Fickell Can Be the Future Leader of the Buckeyes
Luke Fickell will be 38 years old when he, for five weeks, takes the reins of the most important job in the state of Ohio: head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
A defensive coach since 2004, Fickell, a former Buckeye player himself, becomes the head man with the suspension of full-time coach Jim Tressel.
And in those six seasons as an assistant, Fickell has become one of the hottest coaching commodities in the country, receiving several offers to be a head coach elsewhere.
But he will get his first chance to see what he can do as the head coach.
Here is a look at five reasons why Fickell, for whom this seems more like an extended job interview and an interim job, could succeed Tressel when the Senator decides to retire and have great success.
1. An Aggressive Personality
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Until Luke Fickell became the co-defensive coordinator in the 2008 season, the Ohio State defense was exposed terribly in big games against Florida, Illinois and LSU.
The Buckeye defense in multiple instances from 2006-07 were characterized by playing a soft zone defense that got picked apart by spread offenses.
Something had to change. And in 2008, Fickell brought a more aggressive attitude to the defense and they started to bring the heat more.
And the Buckeyes suddenly became one of the better teams in the country at forcing turnovers and creating havoc, which couldn't have been further from the truth in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game.
The personnel might have been much better from the last few teams to that season's team defensively, but the philosophy is a complete 180, and that attitude is something Fickell will bring to the table right away.
2. Great Recruiter
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Part of the reason why Ohio State has been able to reel in talented out-of-state prospects like Etienne Sabino and Curtis Grant is due to both a combination of being in the BCS for six straight years and the work of coach Fickell on the recruiting trail.
He is a very young coach who is good at relating to young players and getting them excited to play on an Ohio State defense that some kids might love to be a part of.
They play an exciting, entertaining style of defense going downhill with frequency and as a result, they're always winning and as a result are always on national television.
That type of thing is what entices young football players to become Buckeyes, and Fickell has proven he can sell kids on becoming Buckeyes.
And looking at the talented young players that are vying for spots on the defense, most of those players were brought in by coach Fickell, something that could continue should he become the head coach of the future.
3. He Is an Ohio Man
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This may be extremely cliche, but Luke Fickell has been raised a Buckeye man, and it may be what Ohio State needs in Jim Tressel's eventual successor.
Born in Columbus, Fickell grew up an Ohio State fan, played for Ohio State, and is now the assistant head coach at Ohio State.
What that means is that he knows what it takes to be the coach at Ohio State, such as what it means to step into the Horseshoe for a game, and how much it means to beat Michigan every season.
He knows what it means to be in the same position as Paul Brown and Woody Hayes, and what you need to do to succeed at Ohio State, which gives him an advantage over any other candidates for the job.
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4. His Youth
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The future is not something anyone should worry about too much, but if Luke Fickell succeeds Jim Tressel, there is no reason to think he won't be there for a long time.
Remember, Fickell will turn 37 before the start of the season, and Tressel's current contract expires in 2014, when Fickell will be 40 and Tressel 62.
Fickell has long-term potential as a head coach due to the success he has had very early on and often as the co-defensive coordinator.
His attitude and personality can relate very well to younger players and probably continue the winning tradition for a good 15-20 years.
5. He Learned from One of the Best
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Admit it, the black vest looks good on Luke Fickell.
Although he might not dress like Jim Tressel in five years, Fickell's experience as Tressel's go-to guy on defense and as the interim head coach can set him up for a great future.
Fickell has learned a lot from Tressel in his time as an assistant, and has earned the trust of the Vest to lead the team onto the field early in the 2011 season.
While Tressel might not name Fickell his successor ala Jimbo Fisher to Bobby Bowden at Florida State, you can expect Fickell to be the favorite for the job.
And although Buckeye fans hope he doesn't carry over the Tresselball trend should he become the head coach, fans should think that not much will change and that the Buckeyes will continue to win.
As mentioned earlier, these five games for Luke Fickell will very likely be an early job interview.
And if he can lead OSU to a 5-0 record, he can surge way beyond other people like Urban Meyer for being the eventual successor to Jim Tressel as the head coach of Ohio State somewhere down the road.
For more college football news and information, visit The BCS Blitz and follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim.
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