Urban Meyer has made another addition to his Ohio State coaching staff, announcing Friday that Tom Herman will serve as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Herman comes to OSU after having held the same position at Iowa State for the past three seasons. His offense is averaging 221.7 passing yards and 181.2 rushing yards per game this year.
“To work with and for Coach Meyer is an exciting opportunity for me,” Herman said in a statement. “I am really looking forward to working with him and learning about his offensive systems. And to be able to coach with him at The Ohio State University is simply a dream come true.”
Herman has been an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the last seven seasons. He spent two years each at Texas State and Rice prior to taking the Iowa State job.
Herman’s offenses at Rice broke more than 40 school records, and in 2008, he helped send the program to its first bowl game since 1954.
Herman will be joining a coaching staff which currently includes current head coach Luke Fickell, who will serve in a role yet to be determined.
“Tom Harmon [sic] has one of the bright young minds in college football,” Meyer said in a statement. “His philosophies are very similar to those of my own. I spoke to numerous colleagues about Tom and all had great things to say about him. I enjoyed our time together during the interview process and I am excited to have him on the staff.”
Florida head coach Will Muschamp said his strength and conditioning coach, Mickey Marotti, will join Meyer at OSU, but his hire has not been confirmed by the university, said Jerry Emig, associate director for athletic communications.
Under current offensive coordinator Jim Bollman, OSU’s offense was only able to muster an average of 319.5 yards per game this season, which ranks 107th out of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Emig did not immediately say whether Bollman would be dismissed from a role on the coaching staff next season.
The coaching staff that coached the team throughout the 2011 season will coach the team against Florida in the Gator Bowl, Emig said. The game is slated for Jan. 2.
Iowa State will play Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl Dec. 30. Herman will remain on staff for the Cyclones for the game.
Herman also served as a graduate assistant at Texas and as a receivers coach and special teams coordinator at Sam Houston State before coaching at Texas State.
Herman was born in Cincinnati but raised in California. He graduated from California Lutheran in 1997 with a degree in business administration and received a master’s in education from Texas.