University of Cincinnati Bearcats expected to hire former Ohio State defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs, sources say

9:12 AM

Kerry Coombs is expected to be hired by the University of Cincinnati, where he spent more than two decades as a high school and college coach.

Coombs is expected to be the special teams coach and the defensive backs coach at the University of Cincinnati. Coombs was demoted from play calling duties at Ohio State in September, and his departure from Ohio State sets up a reunion with the school where he spent five seasons as an assistant.

Coombs worked with Fickell at Ohio State for five seasons before he took the Cincinnati job.

One of the strongest track records in the country in recruiting and developing corners is what Coombs has done, he was an assistant coach with the TennesseeTitans for two years. Every one of Coombs' starting corners reached the NFL during his first stint at Ohio State. Bradley Roby, Marshon Lattimore and Denzel Ward were all taken in the first round.

Coombs has experience as both a coach and a recruiter. Colerain High School in Cincinnati, where Coombs was the head coach for 16 years, had 10 state playoffs and an untainted state title in 2004. His 18 seasons as a high school coach was a record of 167-48.

Coombs will help fill two of the vacancies on Cincinnati's staff, as corners coach and special teams coach Brian Mason left for Notre Dame.