On Monday, Ohio State announced that it had added Michigan assistant Greg Mattison as its new co-defensive coordinator.
As it turns out, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day wasn't done raiding his rival's staff.
According to BuckeyeGrove.com and Letterman Row, Michigan linebackers coach Al Washington is leaving Ann Arbor to join Day's first staff at Ohio State. Washington will presumably take over as the Buckeyes' linebackers coach after it was reported that Bill Davis won't be returning for a third season with the program.
Although Washington spent the last season with the Wolverines, he has no shortage of Ohio State ties. A native of Columbus and graduate of Bishop Watterson High School, Washington is the son of former Buckeyes linebacker Al Washington, who played for legendary head coach Woody Hayes.
Additionally, Washington has a history with Day, who took over for the retiring Urban Meyer as Ohio State's head coach following the Rose Bowl. From 2012-14, Day and Washington worked alongside one another as assistants on Boston College's staff.
In adding Washington, the Buckeyes aren't only bolstering their own staff, but hurting their rival's. Although he was only in Ann Arbor for one season following a stint as Cincinnati's defensive line coach in 2017, Washington established himself as one of Michigan's top recruiters, helping to nearly lure 5-star defensive end Zach Harrison from Lewis Center, Ohio -- a suburb just outside Columbus.
Harrison, however, ultimately wound up signing with the Buckeyes on the first day of college football's early signing period. And as fate would have it, he'll wind up playing for Washington.
