-
Adam Rittenberg
Multiple Authors
Ohio State has fired special teams coordinator Robby Discher, after allowing a critical fake punt conversion in Saturday’s loss to Oregon, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Discher was in his first year at Ohio State after holding the same role at Illinois, where he also coached tight ends. He also has coached special teams at Tulane and Toledo. Ohio State led 14-3 and had forced an Oregon punt on fourth-and-9 from the Ducks’ 31-yard line in Saturday’s game, when Oregon’s Teitum Tuioti threw a jump pass to fellow defensive lineman Matayo Uiagalelei for a 30-yard gain. The Ducks went on to score a touchdown, part of 38 unanswered points in Oregon’s 41-28 win.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day said afterward that he would “evaluate everything” following the team’s second straight defeat.
“Getting off the field there before the fake punt would have been a huge stop and enabled for us to get the ball on offense and eat up some more clock there in the second quarter,” Day said. “But it didn’t happen. So I’ve got to evaluate everything and try to come in [Sunday] and figure out with the staff the things that we’re just coming up short on and figure out how to adjust those things.
“And I think it all starts with the staff. And then it goes to the players. So there needs to be accountability for all of it. And then we go from there.”
Ohio State also had several special teams penalties.
“The penalties are a killer,” Day said. “At the end of the day as a coach, you’ve got to look yourself in the mirror and find out why that’s happening.”
The Buckeyes rank 102nd nationally in special teams efficiency this season.
247Sports/CBS first reported Discher’s dismissal.
