Ohio State promotes Corey Dennis to coach its quarterbacks

Corey Dennis, a senior quality control coach for the Ohio State football team, is to be elevated as the Buckeyes' quarterbacks coach, sources confirmed to The Dispatch.

The promotion, which was first reported Wednesday by Yahoo Sports, is expected to be formally announced next week.

Dennis will replace Mike Yurcich, who was hired this week as offensive coordinator at Texas, after he had been with the OSU program for one season.

The 27-year-old Dennis had been a member of the Buckeyes' support staff since 2015, starting as an intern and graduate assistant before moving into a role as a senior quality control coach with the offense in 2018.

While involved with the Buckeyes' quarterbacks and receivers, he received praise from several passers, notably Dwayne Haskins Jr. amid his record-setting season in 2018.

Dennis shouldered a larger role with quarterbacks in practices and game planning that season when Ryan Day was serving as the team's acting head coach during Urban Meyer's suspension.

“He's like my personal quarterbacks coach when coach Day is not around,” Haskins told reporters during the season. “I can ask him about looks, coverages and different pressures, and he has everything that coach Day teaches him. He helps me throughout practice, throughout meetings. He helps out a lot.”

Dennis is a son-in-law of Meyer, married to his oldest daughter, Nicki. He is a former receiver and defensive back at Georgia Tech.

Last month, before Yurcich's departure, Dennis appeared poised to leave Columbus and join Colorado State's coaching staff as an assistant under Steve Addazio, the Rams' newly hired coach.

According to The Coloradoan, the daily newspaper in Fort Collins, Colorado, Dennis attended Addazio's introductory news conference at the school, and Day did little to dispute reports that suggested Dennis' departure was imminent.

When asked two weeks ago whether Dennis was headed to Colorado State, Day smiled and indicated the move was in the works.

“I know he has a chance,” Day said then of Dennis' possible hire by CSU.

The Buckeyes previously found success by promoting a member of their support staff was Brian Hartline was tapped as the permanent receivers coach late last year after holding the job on an interim basis and previously serving as a quality control coach.

Hartline has been a valuable recruiter, particularly in a lauded 2020 class, and helped with the success of their passing game in recent seasons.

In his new role, Dennis will oversee a quarterback room that features Justin Fields, who successfully took over for Haskins and was named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy last month, as well as returning senior Gunnar Hoak and incoming freshmen Jack Miller and C.J. Stroud.

Fields passed for 3,273 with 41 touchdowns to three interceptions in his debut season as a starter. He will be a junior next fall.

While Dennis will work with the quarterbacks, Day remains the primary offensive play-caller for the Buckeyes and is heavily involved with the development of the passers.

Before Yurcich's arrival, Day served as quarterbacks coach under Meyer.

jkaufman@dispatch.com

@joeyrkaufman

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