A trio of Ohio football coaches is leaving the program to join Vanderbilt’s football staff.
Offensive line coach Kevin Lightner, co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Gerry Gdowski and Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations Jason Grooms will join the Commodores staff under new coach Derek Mason.
The former Stanford associate head coach and Willie Shaw Director of Defense’s hire was made officially by Vanderbilt University today. Mason has ties to the Bobcats program, as he served as wide receivers coach during the 2005-06 season under coach Frank Solich. All three coaches of the departing coaches, including Mason, were on the staff during Solich’s first year at the helm of the program.
Former Ohio quarterback Tyler Tettleton said he heard the news from redshirt freshman quarterback J.D. Sprague via a text message that Gdowski was leaving the program.
“All three of them are great coaches and guys that I’ve looked up to ever since I was there … (it’s) just an exciting time for them and too for our program,” Tettleton said. “It shows a lot what we’ve done here and we’ve been doing some great things, so it’s exciting.”
Grooms, who was appointed to the Ohio staff in 2005, was the Bobcats’ first ever director of football operations. Prior to the 2011, season, he was promoted to his most recent job. He was named the 2013 FootballScoop Director of Football Operations by www.footballscoop.com.
Lightner and Gdowski joined the Bobcats staff in 2005, as Lightner has coached 10 players that have received All-Mid-American Conference recognition according to his Ohio Athletics biography.
Gdowski’s coaching helped Tettleton become one of best quarterbacks in the program’s history. Tettleton set 27 football records while at Ohio and passed for more than 2,500 yards for three consecutive seasons.
“(Gdowski) had a huge impact on me,” Tettleton said. “One of the brightest, smartest guys I’ve ever met and really knows the game well. He’s so easy to get along with, he’s kind of a father figure for us and so it was tough when I heard the news. I feel bad for Derrius (Vick) and J.D. (Sprague). It’s just unfortunate for them, but it’s just a great opportunity for coach Gdowsi and the other coaches too.”
Christian Hoppens contributed to this report
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