COLUMBUS, Ohio — Third-year Ohio State defensive line coach Mike Vrabel is jumping back to the NFL to work with new Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien.
Vrabel, who played at Ohio State and went on to a 14-year career in the NFL, will coach linebackers, he confirmed in a post on Twitter.
O’Brien, the head coach at Penn State for the past two years, had been a top assistant with the New England Patriots in 2007-08 when Vrabel was a player. Vrabel won three Super Bowls with the Patriots.
Vrabel was one of the top recruiters for coach Urban Meyer. Joey Bosa, a freshman defensive end, was recruited by Vrabel and developed into a starter this past season. Meyer did not have an immediate comment.
Vrabel becomes the second defensive coach to leave the Buckeyes in recent weeks. Everett Withers, co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach/safeties left to take the head coaching position at James Madison last month.
The Buckeyes went 12-2 this past season, running their school-record winning streak to 24 games in a row before losing their final two games, 34-24 to Michigan State in the Big Ten championship game and 40-34 to Clemson in the Orange Bowl.
