According to the Ohio State University newspaper The Lantern, the Buccaneers have hired Buckeyes’ defensive backs coach Bill Sheridan as the team’s new defensive coordinator.

PewterReport.com can confirm Bryan Cox was hired by the Buccaneers as a defensive assistant.

From 2004-2005 he worked as a TV analyst before being hired an assistant defensive line coach for the New York Jets under Eric Mangini. After Mangini was fired and became the coach of the Browns, Cox followed Mangini to Cleveland working as the Browns pass rush coach. Cox spent last year as an assistant with Miami.

Sheridan was recently hired at Ohio State by new head coach Urban Meyer to serve as the team's defensive backs coach.

The Lantern reported a spokesperson for OSU, Jerry Emig, confirmed that Sheridan was leaving the Buckeyes.

"It is my understanding that Bill Sheridan has elected to pursue other opportunities," Emig said.

Meyer talked about Sheridan after hiring him recently.


“Bill Sheridan is a perfect fit for our program,” Meyer said. “His experiences in the NFL are huge. He has Midwest roots and, most importantly, he wants to be an Ohio State Buckeye. I am really impressed with him and I think he is going to be a terrific addition to our defensive staff as a coach, teacher and as a recruiter.”



Sheridan discussed joining the Buckeyes team in 2012.

“I have a refreshed perspective coming back from the NFL and getting into college coaching again,” Sheridan said. “I am really interested to study the offenses people are running in the Big Ten. The running quarterbacks are distinctly different than what you see in the NFL. It is stimulating if you enjoy the schematic part of the game, and I do.”



Sheridan has just one year of experience as a defensive coordinator for the New York Giants in 2009, but was fired after the season as the Giants lost eight of the last 11 games, and surrendered 40 points or more a franchise-record five times in one year. He was promoted from the position of linebackers coach where he served in New York from 2005-08. Sheridan left New York to serve as the Miami Dolphins' linebackers coach from 2010-11.

He also nearly has 20 years of college experience at Maine, Cincinnati, Army, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Michigan.

A representative from the Buccaneers would neither confirm nor deny the hiring of Sheridan.

University of Alabama ofensive line coach Jeff Stoutland declined to interview with the Buccaneers for their vacant offensive line coaching position and will stay aboard Nick Saban's staff according to al.com.