Cincinnati reaches deal with Luke Fickell to be its next coach

Cincinnati has hired Ohio State defensive coordinator Luke Fickell to be its head coach.

The school announced Saturday that Fickell has reached a six-year agreement. Fickell, 43, replaces Tommy Tuberville, who resigned last Sunday. Tuberville was 29-22 in four seasons with the Bearcats, but managed just a 4-8 record this season.

Fickell will remain with Ohio State through the College Football Playoff

“It’s with much pride and humility that I accept the awesome honor of becoming the head coach at the University of Cincinnati,” Fickell said. This city, this school and my family are all Ohio. It’s a tough blue-collar state with hard-working, blue-collar people that respect an honest and complete effort. That’s what they will get from me personally and what they should expect from this football program. This team belongs to this city and we will make you proud.”

Fickell, a former Ohio State defensive lineman, has been with his alma mater since 2002 and has served as a defensive coordinator in every season since 2005. In 2011, he was the school’s interim head coach following the resignation of coach Jim Tressel amid an NCAA investigation regarding players trading autographs and memorabilia for tattoos and cash. The Buckeyes went 6-7 under Fickell before hiring current coach Urban Meyer.

“We are excited to welcome Luke, his wife Amy and their family to Cincinnati,” athletic director Mike Bohn said. “We targeted a number of criteria we wanted in our head football coach and we were looking for the coach who was the best fit for our program, our University and our community and we have found that leader in Luke Fickell. His extensive ties to the state of Ohio, experience at a championship-level program in Ohio State, ability to evaluate and develop talent, energy and leadership are all qualities which set him apart. Above all else, he’s a model of integrity and a great family man and we look forward to partnering with him to continue to build upon our winning tradition.”

Fickell is the third assistant from Ohio State’s 2014 national championship team to become a head coach joining Tom Herman, now at Texas, and Chris Ash at Rutgers.