30 Reasons for 30 Days - Day 9: Because of Vince Okruch

From now through September 3rd, I am posting a daily reason why it is great to be a fan of Rutgers football. There are a lot more than thirty, but I picked my thirty reasons, and hope you like them. If not, be sure to let me know.

Today, our focus is on the other veteran coach on the new Rutgers football coaching staff, Vince Okruch. Vince is the special teams coordinator/tight ends coach this coming season.

Vince hold a rather impressive resume, having been defensive coordinator at Northwestern, Illinois, Colorado, and more. His most recent position, and he and Chris Ash came to know one another, was as Ohio State’s quality control coach — kicking game/defense for the past three seasons.

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Vince. As detailed in this article by Dan Duggan last January, just prior to coming on the Ohio State staff, he was concerned that his coaching career may have come to an end, losing his position at Akron at the end of the 2011 season. He spent a season out of the game, and was miserable.

Joining the new tOSU staff with Coach Urban Meyer in 2013 was a great opportunity, and Vince made the most of it. After three successful seasons with the Buckeyes, Chris Ash saw his skill and was his first hire after signing on at Rutgers last December.

Immediately following his arrival, Dan Duggan did a nice piece on him which highlighted the range of his experience. This past spring, he tipped his hat at Rutgers special team’s reputation as a kick-blocking unit in an interview with BTN.

Another great video to watch is one where Coach Okruch is mic’ed up, and you get to feel what it is like to work for him.

Finally, RVIsion’s Fatoumata Diallo had a nice profile of Coach Okruch last spring.

He also is always looking for new talent. He was the first to visit former recruit Alex Barbir, and while he was ultimately not successful in that effort, he continues to recruit and look for more.

So, today’s reason why it is great to be a Rutgers football fan is our new special team’s coordinator, Coach Vince Okruch.