Toth Rejoins Ohio Coaching Staff

Contact: Jim Stephan

4/16/2003

Former defensive back and graduate assistant coach Nick Toth returns to the Bobcats as the tight ends coach.

ATHENS, Ohio – Former defensive back and graduate assistant coach Nick Toth has returned to the Ohio coaching staff in a full-time capacity, head coach Brian Knorr announced today. The hiring is part of a restructuring that took place when Mike Kolakowski accepted a position at the University of Cincinnati earlier this spring. Toth will work with the Bobcats’ tight ends, a spot opened when Pete Germano moved to the defensive side of the ball to work with outside linebackers. Defensive Coordinator Tim DeRuyter takes over Kolakowski’s secondary as his position group.

“Nick brings a wealth of knowledge of Ohio football to our staff, based on his experiences first as a student-athlete and then as a graduate assistant,” said Knorr. “We are very happy to have him back in our football family. His familiarity with our system and with recruiting the state of Ohio will be a very valuable asset to our program.”

Toth spent last season as Dakota State’s defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator. He took control of a secondary that ranked next-to-last in the conference in pass defense before his arrival and coached them to a No. 16 ranking nationally in 2002 (147.3 yards per game).

“I am very happy to be back here at Ohio University,” Toth said. “I am grateful to both Coach Knorr and Thomas Boeh for giving me this great opportunity. I look forward to being a part of this great university and football program once again. Hopefully, I will be able to give something back to my alma mater which has given me so much over the years. Bobcat football is on the brink of an exciting season and I can’t wait to be back in the great atmosphere that Athens exhibits on game days.”

An Athens native and two-time all-state selection at Athens High, Toth earned four letters for the Bobcats from 1995-98. He started his career on the offensive side of the ball before switching prior to his junior year. He recorded 31 tackles as a reserve in 1997, then another 76 (43 solo) his senior season as the starting strong safety.

Upon graduation with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science in 1999, Toth entered the coaching profession as defensive backs and special teams coach at Eastlake North High School in Cleveland. He returned to his alma mater in 2000, serving as defensive graduate assistant under Jim Grobe for a season and Knorr for a season. During those two years, the Bobcat defensive units were ranked third in the Mid-American Conference in scoring, rushing defense and total defense. The 2000 team was one of just five in the nation to hold opponents to less than 30 points in every contest.

Toth earned a master’s degree in physical education (athletic administration) from Ohio in 2002.



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