Then-Penn State interim football coach Larry Johnson sits courtside at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa., Jan. 8. The Minnesota Gophers defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions, 68-65. Credit: Courtesy of MCT

Then-Penn State interim football coach Larry Johnson sits courtside at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa., Jan. 8. The Minnesota Gophers defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions, 68-65.
Credit: Courtesy of MCT

Ohio State lost defensive line coach Mike Vrabel to the Houston Texans of the NFL last week, but it looks as if coach Urban Meyer hardly wasted any time finding his replacement.

The Buckeyes are on the verge of hiring former Penn State defensive line coach Larry Johnson to replace Vrabel, according to a report by SI.com late Monday.

An OSU spokesman told The Lantern Tuesday, however, that the move may not be official.

“I don’t have any information that I can share at this time,” the spokesman said in an email.

Johnson spent 19 seasons with the Nittany Lions, and the last 15 as the team’s defensive line coach. He helped develop seven first-team All-Americans in State College, Pa., including the No. 1 pick in the 2000 NFL Draft in Courtney Brown.

Johnson was offered the defensive line coaching job by new Penn State coach James Franklin, but declined, according to PennLive.

Vrabel announced his departure from OSU via Twitter Thursday, and the former Buckeye great is set to coach the linebackers with the Texans. Houston announced the hiring of former Penn State head coach Bill O’Brien to head coach Jan. 3.