For all the elite cornerbacks he developed and the role he played on Ohio State’s defensive coaching staff from 2012 to 2017, Kerry Coombs was perhaps best known for the juice he brought to Columbus. Always energetic, always intense, always filled to the brim with coffee, he was a constantly animated presence at Ohio State’s practices for more than a half-decade.
When he left to coach defensive backs for the Tennessee Titans in 2018 and 2019, the Buckeyes tried their best to replace his energy.
They never really managed to find someone like him, though, which became abundantly clear on Monday when Ohio State opened with Coombs’ charisma on full display.