Ohio State is losing a member of its defensive staff to a job in the high school coaching ranks.

On Thursday, Gulf Shores High School (Alabama) introduced Paul Rhoads as the new DC of the football program. Rhoads spent 2021 as a defensive analyst for the Buckeyes after serving as Arizona’s DC in 2020.

Rhoads has served in a variety of roles over a coaching career that started in the late 1980s. He has served as a collegiate DC during stops at Pittsburgh, Auburn, Arkansas, and Arizona. Rhoad was also a head coach for 7 seasons at Iowa State, finishing with a 32-55 overall record and one bowl win.

While Rhoads is leaving, the key addition for Ohio State’s defensive staff this offseason came in the form of ex-Oklahoma State DC Jim Knowles. He will look to improve a unit that allowed 22.8 points per game in 2021, a mark that ranked 38th nationally.

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