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Former Titans Coach Aims for College Championship

Kerry Coombs will lead Ohio State's defense in Monday's CFP title game against Alabama.

Kerry Coombs went back in order to advance his career.

Now, the former Tennessee Titans secondary coach has the opportunity to finish on top in his first season as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator. The Buckeyes, of course, will meet Alabama in the College Football playoff championship game Monday in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Coombs spent the previous two seasons in charge of the Titans’ cornerbacks and safeties. It was his first job in the NFL after six years as a position coach at Ohio State, where he worked for a time with Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel.

“When you have to get two or four or five or six guys ready for a game is different than when you're trying to get an entire defense,” Coombs said Wednesday. “… I think that my hat’s off to (the position coaches). They've done a great job. I'm just a part of that group on game day and really every day of the week.

“… I don't think any of it has to do with me.”

Coombs coached cornerbacks, served as special teams coordinator for his final three years and added assistant defensive coordinator to his duties for the final season of his first stint with Ohio State.

During his two years in the NFL, his approach to the job was considered a better fit for the college game. He eventually won over his players with the Titans, though, because of his unrelenting passion and the results he got through the mantra he created for that group, “My man catches no balls.”

Tennessee ranked among the NFL’s top 10 with 14 interceptions in 2019 and was sixth in pass defense (216.9 yards per game allowed) in 2018.

“He (was) instrumental to our success the last two years,” safety Kenny Vaccaro said after last season’s playoff loss at Kansas City. “Coming from college is not an easy thing to do. You’re developing young men in college and then you kind of have to switch over to a different mindset when you’re dealing with grown men, who have their own opinion. You have to have kind of a give-and-take relationship. He (did) a great job adjusting to that.”

The move back to college has gone smoothly as well.

Ohio State is undefeated at 7-0. Coombs’ defense has allowed an average 21.0 points per game and is one of nine in the FBS that allowed fewer than 100 rushing yards per game. The Buckeyes’ average margin of victory has been by more than three touchdowns.

“Honestly, I've just been really gratified to be around a group of kids like this and their eagerness to just [do] whatever it takes,” Coombs said. “They've been fantastic.”