Former Washington State defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. Credit: Courtesy of Ezekiel Nelson | Daily Evergreen

Former Washington State defensive coordinator Alex Grinch will be joining Ohio State’s staff as the co-defensive coordinator alongside current defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports reported.

Grinch will be the 10th assistant coach on the staff and will be the first co-defensive coordinator to work with Schiano since now-Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell in 2016. A rule allowing teams to add a 10th assistant coach to the staff was approved in April 2017. Teams will be able to add the additional assistant coach beginning Jan. 9.

He previously served three seasons as defensive coordinator at Washington State since being hired in 2015. The Cougars allowed the 16th-fewest average yards per game (323.3) and were tied for 56th-fewest average points allowed per game (25.8). Grinch oversaw the improvement of a Washington State defense that ranked 114th in points allowed per game (38.6) in 2014, the year before he was hired.

Ohio State declined to confirm the report.