Chris Ash hires his first assistant football coach, Okruch

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) Chris Ash has started assembling his football staff at Rutgers. The new football coach on Thursday reached into his Ohio State ties and

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) Chris Ash has started assembling his football staff at Rutgers.

The new football coach on Thursday reached into his Ohio State ties and named Vince Okruch as his special teams coordinator.

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Okruch spent the previous three seasons at Ohio State assisting with quality control for the kicking game and the defense. He brings more than 35 years coaching experience to the Scarlet Knights, having worked at Minnesota, Northwestern, and Illinois and Colorado.

A native of Buffalo, New York, Okruch spent three seasons at the University of Akron before joining the Buckeyes. While at Akron from 2009-11, he coached defensive tackles, safeties and linebackers at different times and also served as special teams coordinator.