Vrabel’s attitude, success a bonus as an OSU coach

By Tim May

The Columbus Dispatch

COLUMBUS

Urban Meyer’s standing order to his Ohio State players and coaches is he wants everyone operating at full speed all the time this spring. That’s especially interesting when it comes to defensive line coach Mike Vrabel.

That’s the only way he ever practiced or played through high school, four years at Ohio State and 14 seasons in the NFL that included three Super Bowl wins with the New England Patriots and All-Pro recognition.

“That’s the pace you want, and you have to have a gift from God, I think, to have that mentality to just go and go and go,” Vrabel said. “Coach Mickey Marotti [in charge of strength and conditioning] does a great job with our kids so physically they’re in shape.

“Now mentally, that’s our job out there. And that’s not just about X’s and O’s. It’s about not letting their minds get in the way of their bodies.”

It’s the mentality he’s taken to his new job as defensive line coach, and apparently it’s catchy.

“He’s pretty young, so he’s out there running with us, working with us, and just having us fired up and ready to go every day for practice,” junior defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins said.

Vrabel excelled in the NFL before retiring less than a year ago. That’s when he answered the call from his close friend Luke Fickell — elevated to coach for one season after Jim Tressel resigned under pressure last May — and signed on as linebackers coach.

Vrabel was retained by Meyer. So was Fickell, named defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Vrabel was reassigned to the defensive line, which is a bonus for the big guys, Hankins said.

“Having a coach that played the game recently, and knowing all the stuff he knows about football, it’s a good help for our defensive line,” Hankins said.

That Vrabel was a record-setting defensive end at Ohio State before moving to the pros and becoming, eventually, the prototype for the all-purpose end/linebacker in the modern defense would seem to indicate he’s in his wheelhouse coaching the line.

“I hope as a coach you don’t really have a wheelhouse, you just try to gain experience,” Vrabel said. “Last year was a great learning experience.”