Eric Boggs
Ryan Day has been hard at work this offseason, ensuring that Ohio State’s coaching staff remains among the best in college football. With three key staff members departing following the Buckeyes’ triumphant national championship win, Day has successfully filled those full-time positions. Now, his focus shifts to rounding out the support staff—an equally critical component of the program’s continued success.
The process of strengthening the staff took a major step forward on Wednesday, as sources from CBS Sports and 247Sports confirmed that Ohio State is set to bring in Charlie Dickey, Marcus Johnson, and Wendy Laurent as senior analysts. Their addition further bolsters a program that consistently demands excellence, especially in the trenches.
Dickey brings over three decades of coaching experience, primarily specializing in the offensive line. His career has included stints at multiple collegiate programs, where he has coached offensive linemen, tight ends, and even served as an offensive coordinator. A former offensive lineman himself at Scottsdale Community College and Arizona, Dickey’s coaching career began in 1988 as a graduate assistant with the Wildcats. He gained further experience at Scottsdale Community College and Northern Arizona before returning to Arizona from 1992 to 2003, working extensively with offensive linemen before shifting to tight ends in 2003.
His journey continued at Washington in 2004 and Utah from 2005 to 2008, where he once again focused on offensive line development. In 2009, Dickey joined Kansas State under legendary head coach Bill Snyder, where he played a pivotal role in shaping dominant offensive lines as the offensive line coach, co-offensive coordinator, and run game coordinator. During his time in Manhattan, he helped develop All-Big 12 linemen, including All-Americans B.J. Finney and Dalton Risner. Dickey most recently served as Oklahoma State’s offensive line coach from 2019 until his departure before last season.
Johnson arrives in Columbus with a wealth of experience as both a player and a coach. Following his professional playing career as an NFL offensive lineman from 2005 to 2009, Johnson transitioned into coaching in 2011, starting at Duke under David Cutcliffe. He initially worked as an assistant strength and conditioning coach before being promoted to offensive quality control assistant and later offensive line coach. While at Duke, Johnson helped mentor standout center Austin Davis, who earned third-team All-ACC honors and served as a team captain.
In 2018, Johnson took over as the offensive line coach at Mississippi State, where he immediately made an impact. Under his guidance, the Bulldogs boasted one of the SEC’s top rushing attacks, finishing second in the conference in both rushing yards per game (223.6) and yards per carry (5.7). His work with future NFL talent, including center Elgton Jenkins, who became a second-round draft pick in 2019, further solidified his reputation as an elite developer of offensive linemen.
Johnson continued to build his résumé at Missouri from 2020 to 2022 before taking the same role at Purdue in 2023. Now, he brings his expertise to Columbus, where he will play a crucial role in refining Ohio State’s offensive line talent.
Laurent, a former Penn State offensive lineman who graduated in 2016, also joins the Buckeyes’ staff with valuable coaching experience. During his playing career, Laurent was part of an offensive front that helped pave the way for standout running back Saquon Barkley.
His coaching journey began in 2019 as an offensive line graduate assistant at Buffalo, where he contributed to a dominant rushing attack that ranked among the top ten in the FBS, averaging over 250 yards per game. Laurent returned to his alma mater in 2020 as a graduate assistant at Penn State, working with both offensive linemen and tight ends. In 2022, he accepted a role as the tight ends coach at Dartmouth, where he played an instrumental role in helping Jace Henry earn All-Ivy League honorable mention recognition.
With these experienced coaches joining the program, Ohio State’s offensive staff is positioned for success. Their collective knowledge will provide crucial support for Justin Frye and the offensive line room, ensuring the Buckeyes remain a dominant force up front as they pursue another championship run.
