And just like that, he was gone.
Bill Sheridan, defensive coach for Ohio State, and coach Urban Meyer’s most recent hire, has accepted a job with the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
A source told The Lantern that Sheridan will be the new defensive coordinator in Tampa Bay under newly hired coach Greg Schiano.
Sheridan was Meyer’s last hire on the team after former defensive backs coach Taver Johnson left for a coaching job at Arkansas.
A representative from the Buccaneers would neither confirm nor deny the hiring of Sheridan.
Jerry Emig, OSU athletic department spokesman, confirmed Sheridan was leaving the Buckeyes.
“It is my understanding that Bill Sheridan has elected to pursue other opportunities,” Emig said.
As linebackers coach for the Miami Dolphins last season, Sheridan’s future was in doubt after coach Tony Sparano was fired in December. Sheridan began exploring other possible coaching options.
Sheridan has spent the last seven seasons coaching in the NFL. Along with coaching linebackers for the Dolphins the past two seasons, Sheridan served in the same capacity with the New York Giants from 2005-08, where he was a part of New York’s Super Bowl victory in 2007.
He was promoted to defensive coordinator prior to the 2009 season but was fired at the end of the year.
In an interview with The Lantern, Sheridan said there was not much difference between coaching college football, and coaching in the NFL.
“The game itself, it’s really not that different other than the age of the players,” Sheridan said. “Having coached in the NFL for the last seven years, it’s just seven more years of coaching experience … I don’t think it would be dramatically different if I had coached in college for the seven years.”
Multiple reports throughout the week confirmed Sheridan had interviewed for the Tampa Bay job on Wednesday.
Sheridan’s OSU hiring was first reported by The Lantern on Jan. 25, and he departs the Buckeyes just about three weeks after he started.
Michael Periatt contributed to this story.
