Luke Fickell
Position: Defensive Coordinator/LB Coach Alma Mater: Ohio State, 1997

Luke Fickell
Defensive Coordinator & Linebackers Coach

Quick Facts
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
High School: DeSales
Alma Mater: The Ohio State University, 1997
Degree: Exercise Science
Years in Coaching: 14
Wife: Amy
Children: Landon, Luca, Aydon & Ashton

Luke Fickell is Ohio true and true. Born, raised and educated in Columbus, and a proud graduate of The Ohio State University, Fickell is now in his 12th consecutive season coaching at his alma mater, serving in the position of defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Fickell has been at Ohio State coaching since the 2002 season, and he was the first assistant coach named to Urban Meyer's Ohio State staff.

Ohio State has had some outstanding defenses during Fickell's time with the team. In 2005 the unit was fifth in the NCAA in total defense and first in rushing defense. In 2006 it was 12th in total defense. In 2007 the Buckeyes were first nationally in total defense, in addition to being first in scoring and pass defense. The team was 14th in total defense in 2008 and, in 2009 and 2010, the Buckeyes were fifth and fourth, respectively, in total defense.

Last year during Ohio State's undefeated, 12-0 season, the defense capped a season-long path of improvement by ranking second-nationally in total defense during the month of November, allowing just 269.7 yards per game.

Fickell was the team's head coach in 2011, a position he accepted on May 30, 2011 without demands, without questions and without any prior head coaching experience. He was asked to step forward and take over a program in need of a steadying influence, and he was just that through a 6-6 regular season and a season-ending 24-17 loss to Florida in the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl.

Fickell was much more than a just a steadying influence. He was a leader through one of the most difficult times in Ohio State athletics history. He kept the team focused and, despite 53 games missed by starters, the constant molding of two first-year quarterbacks and inexperience and youth up and down the lineup, he had the Buckeyes in control of their Big Ten championship destiny going into November.

Prior to Fickell's appointment to head coach, he had been promoted to assistant head coach in March 2011. He also coached the Buckeye linebackers and has served as co-defensive coordinator.

Fickell's coaching career began at Ohio State. After spending a year on the injured reserve list with the New Orleans Saints, he was hired in 1999 as a graduate assistant at Ohio State by his college coach, John Cooper.

Fickell's first full-time coaching position came in 2000 under Lee Owens at Akron, spending two years as defensive line coach. Jim Tressel brought him to Ohio State as special teams coordinator in 2002 and he also worked with the defensive front. He was named linebackers coach in 2004 and added co-defensive coordinator duties to his resume in 2005.

Fickell is a graduate of DeSales High School, where he was a three-time, undefeated state wrestling champion), and he is a 1997 graduate of Ohio State. He played for the Buckeyes from 1992-96, redshirting the first year and then starting the next four seasons at nose guard. He started a school-record 50 consecutive games between 1993 and 1996.

Fickell concluded his Ohio State career with 212 total tackles, including 26 tackles-for-loss and six sacks. During his four years in the starting lineup, the Buckeyes posted a combined record of 41-8-1 overall and 26-5-1 in Big Ten play with a pair of Big Ten co-championships. With the win over Arizona State in the Rose Bowl, the Buckeyes finished the 1996 season with a sparkling 11-1 record and were second in the nation in both major polls in the final rankings.

Luke and his wife, Amy (an Ohio State physical therapy graduate), have four children: Landon, Luca ,and twins Aydon and Ashton.

Luke Fickell Coaching Assignments