Ohio State football fires special teams coordinator Robby Discher

Ohio State has fired special teams coordinator Robby Discher after nine games, a source confirmed.

The special teams have struggled during the Buckeyes’ first losing streak in the regular season since 2011, including last weekend’s loss to Oregon.

The Buckeyes were caught flat-footed by Oregon’s fake punt in the second quarter when the Ducks picked up 30 yards and flipped momentum just before halftime.

Three penalties on punt coverage and returns, as well as allowing a 44-yard punt return, plagued the Buckeyes in their loss at USC the previous week.

Discher had spent the past three seasons as Illinois’ special teams coordinator before he was hired in February as the Buckeyes sought improvement in the third phase.

It was the first time since 2023 that Ryan Day’s coaching staff had included a dedicated special teams coach. Day had assigned position coaches to special teams units in 2024 and 2025.

But Day said last month that he had not seen improvement from the Buckeyes’ special teams through five games.

Discher could be owed more than $500,000 in severance under the terms of his contract, which was obtained by The Dispatch through a public records request. He had signed a two-year deal through next season.

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football fires special teams coordinator Robby Discher