Ohio State Football: Buckeyes lose assistant DL coach, expect him back
The Ohio State Football team lost grad assistant/assistant defensive line coach Kenny Anunike on Friday.
The Ohio State football team will be looking for a new coaching staff member to help Larry Johnson next season. Kenny Anunike left to take the defensive line coach position at Fordham, according to Lettermen Row.
Anunike was key member to the Ohio State coaching staff. Much like Corey Dennis was to the quarterbacks room the last few seasons, Anunike is seen as an up incoming coach who handled a lot of responsibility for Johnson.
Anunike was vital in coaching the defensive line unit when Johnson stepped out to go on recruiting trips and his players sure loved the way he coached them up. This from Zach Harrison, via Cleveland.com:
"“His biggest thing is energy,” defensive end Zach Harrison said last year. “It’s hard to come into practice and not match him. He’s yelling and screaming and his voice is all intense. You can’t be lazy about it because he just brings it out of you. That’s his biggest attribute.”"
Anunkie played in the NFL for the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets. He attended Duke University and left as the all time leader in career sacks. He is also a Columbus, Ohio native.
It seems to me that Anunkie was being groomed to eventually replace Larry Johnson one day and this could be seen as a move to help ensure that happens. Giving Anunkie valuable experience in guiding his own unit should come back to benefit him in the future.
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And if he can deliver and help lead his unit to meet expectations, look for him to be a fast riser in the college football coaching ranks. It would not shock me to see Anunkie continue to move up the coaching ladder until he one day comes full circle to lead this Buckeye defensive line.