Could Rutgers stay inside the Big Ten to make its head-coaching hire?
According to a Wednesday report from Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman, the Scarlet Knights are looking at Ohio State defensive coordinator Chris Ash as an option to fill the vacant job.
Ash has spent the past two seasons running the Buckeyes' defense after serving as an assistant under Bret Bielema for four seasons at both Wisconsin and Arkansas, the final three spent as defensive coordinator for the Badgers and Razorbacks.
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This season, Ash's defense has been one of the country's best. Ohio State ranks second in the nation in scoring defense, allowing an averaging of 14 points per game, and 10th in total defense, allowing an average of 303.5 yards per game.
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The Buckeyes have been particularly stingy against opposing passing attacks, ranking 12th in the country in passing defense, allowing an average of 176.2 pass yards per game.
Ash would bring a winning pedigree — he coached under Urban Meyer during last season's national-championship run, and the Buckeyes could potentially make it back to the College Football Playoff this season — and a familiarity with the Big Ten having spent five of the past six seasons in the conference and the last two in the Big Ten East, Rutgers' division.
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Ash's Ohio State defense held Rutgers to fewer than 300 yards and just seven points in a 49-7 Buckeyes win earlier this season.
According to Feldman, Ash is also in the running for the vacant head-coaching position at Syracuse, so Rutgers could have some competition for his services.
The Knights have a head-coaching vacancy after Kyle Flood was fired Sunday. Rutgers also fired athletics director Julie Hermann on Sunday and named Patrick Hobbs as her replacement. Hobbs is running the search for a new head coach.