Vrabel fulfills dream, returns to OSU

COLUMBUS, Ohio Luke Fickell remembers one of the first conversations he ever had with Mike Vrabel, back when both were wide-eyed teenagers, and he remembers Vrabel talking about his future coaching aspirations. Someday, Vrabel told him, he was going to come back and coach at Ohio State. It was quite a path, and one that included everything from Super Bowl touchdown catches to a leadership role with the NFL Players Association. Monday morning, Vrabel officially announced his retirement after 14 years of playing in the NFL and accepted the job as linebackers coach at his alma mater. Hes now working for Fickell, his former recruiting host, teammate and the best man in his wedding. Before hiring Vrabel to basically fill his old job, Fickell asked Ohio State basketball coach Thad Matta if he thought he could hire his best friend. When Matta answered the way Fickell hoped he would, all that was left was for Vrabel to officially walk away from playing the game. Its something they began talking about, Fickell said, on the first day he was officially hired. Were obviously very excited, Fickell said. The players and the coaches are excited to have a Buckeye in here, somebody thats going to bring something different here. Whats different is that Vrabel comes fresh from The League, bringing what Fickell called instant credibility because Ohio States current players and, both hope, future recruits have seen Vrabel play on TV. They know he has three Super Bowl rings and the experience that comes with them, and that his time playing under the likes of Bill Belichick, Eric Mangini and Romeo Crennel could eventually lead to some extra wrinkles in the Buckeyes defensive playbook. It goes well beyond Xs and Os, though. That a press conference announcing a new linebackers coach was carried live by a local TV affiliate says a lot about what Ohio State Football means here, and what Vrabel means here, and the approach all involved are taking as they push through a tumultuous offseason and prepare to focus on football. Theres no interim tag in Fickells title, but hes under a one-year contract and is certainly working under some pretty difficult circumstances. But Vrabel said hes never thought that this might be just a one-year thing. This, Vrabel said, is where my family and I want to be. Vrabels role with the Chiefs the last two years was to lead and mentor a young and developing roster. In New England he played for a time under former Buckeye Pepper Johnson and saw himself eventually finding in a similar spot. This new job isnt just something Vrabel visualized. Its something hes been working towards. Hes been a coach on the field his whole career, Fickell said. Mike Vrabel is as well-suited for coaching as any player I have ever coached, Belichick said in Ohio States official statement. He has a tremendous feel for people, players, coaches and what his team needs regardless of the situation. He is outstanding in his knowledge of the game, which contributed to his excellence as a player. I have no doubt Mike will develop tough, intelligent, fundamentally sound winners. Vrabel was twice named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year while playing defensive end at Ohio State and still holds the schools career sack record with 36. Fickell started 50 straight games at nose tackle over the same time and has now been coaching at Ohio State for 10 seasons. He said hed reach out to Vrabel each time Vrabel signed a new NFL contract and congratulate him while mentioning that old coaching dream. Fickell said that when he and Vrabel first met, he never saw himself getting into coaching. And he certainly never envisioned putting Vrabel to work. "He is a very aggressive, very confident person, Fickell said. He communicates very well. He is a very upfront, honest person. And hes most certainly a Buckeye. I got a lot of practice (coaching) with a very young team in Kansas City the last two years, Vrabel said. Ive played for a lot of great coaches. The impact they had on me, thats something Id like to be able to do with these kids.