Ohio State is poaching a rising star in the coaching profession away from its rival.

Al Washington, who served as Michigan's linebackers coach in 2018, is joining Ryan Day's staff as the Buckeyes' linebackers coach.

“Al Washington is going to be a terrific addition to our coaching staff,” Day said in the press release announcing the hiring. “I’ve known him as a player and as a coach and I know his family very well. I think his familiarity with this region as a coach and as a recruiter is going to be very impactful, as will his leadership with our linebackers unit.”

This comes on the heels of Ohio State hiring Greg Mattison, who was Michigan's defensive line coach. Day is revamping OSU's defensive staff, and also hired Jeff Hafley as the Buckeyes' co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach. Hafley had been the San Francisco 49ers' defensive backs coach the last three seasons (2016-18).

Washington, 34, is a Columbus native and played defensive tackle for Boston College from 2002-05, including three seasons as a starter. He played professionally for one season in the CFL (2006).

** Washington began his coaching career in 2007 at Division III Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as defensive line coach.

** In 2008, Washington moved on to N.C. State as a graduate assistant (defense).

** From 2009-10, he was the defensive line coach at Slippery Rock.

** In 2011, Washington was the linebackers coach at Elon.

** In 2012, Washington returned to his alma mater of Boston College as assistant defensive line/assistant special teams coach. Washington coached a total of five seasons at Boston College, and held a variety of roles. In 2013, he was promoted to running backs coach, a post he held through the 2015 season. In 2013-14, Day was the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at BC, which is when Washington and Day formed a friendship and a good working relationship.

** In 2016, Washington coached the Eagles' defensive line and was also the special teams coordinator.

** In 2017, Washington moved on to Cincinnati on Luke Fickell's first staff as the Bearcats' defensive line coach.

Washington's father, Al Washington Sr., played linebacker for Ohio State under Woody Hayes and Earle Bruce (1977-80), and is eighth on the Buckeyes' career tackles list with 345. The younger Washington is a 2002 graduate of Bishop Watterson High School.

Bucknuts will have much more on this developing story.

Here is Washington's bio, courtesy of the University of Michigan's official site:

Al Washington was announced as a defensive assistant coach on January 5, 2018. Washington is in his first season with the Michigan program.

Washington, who has experience coaching on both sides of the ball and on special teams, came to Ann Arbor after spending the 2017 season as the defensive line coach at the University of Cincinnati.

Prior to his one-year stint at Cincinnati, Washington coached at his alma mater, Boston College, for five seasons where he worked with then-defensive coordinator Brown. He began his tenure as the assistant special teams coach and assistant defensive line coach during the 2012 season.

Washington coached the running backs for three seasons (2013-15) before taking over as the program's special teams coordinator and defensive line coach during the 2016 season, his final year at Boston College.

The Eagles' special teams unit ranked 12th in the nation and third in the ACC in punt returns (12.35 avg.), third in the ACC in kickoff return defense (18.44 avg.) and sixth in the league in kickoff returns (22.77 avg.). Return man Tyler Rouse, in his first year returning punts, finished seventh in the FBS rankings and third in the ACC, averaging 13.04 yards per run back.

BC was one of the nation's top defenses in 2016, ranking ninth nationally and second in the ACC in total defense. The Eagles listed among college football's best units, ranking second in sacks, sixth in tackles for loss and seventh in rushing defense. Washington coached defensive end Harold Landry, an All-American and Ted Hendricks Trophy finalist, who led the nation in sacks and forced fumbles.

Washington mentored 2013 Heisman Trophy finalist and the Atlantic Coast Conference's first Doak Walker Award recipient in running back Andre Williams, who became the 16th player in FBS history to rush for 2,000 yards during the regular season.

During his time working with the running backs, the Eagles attack improved each season. BC averaged 212.5 yards per game in 2013 and improved to 254.7 yards per contest in 2014. The team's 3,311 rushing yards in 2014 broke the school's season rushing record. He helped the program advance to the 2013 AdvoCare v100 Independence Bowl and the 2014 New Era Pinstripe Bowl both of those seasons.

Washington came to BC after coaching the linebackers at Elon University during the 2011 season. While at Elon, he coached All-America and All-SoCon selection Joshua Jones as well as freshman All-American Jonathan Spain.

He spent two seasons as defensive line coach at Slippery Rock University (2009-10), working with All-PSAC Conference defensive ends Pat Marsilio and Jeff Thompson. Washington was a defensive graduate assistant coach at North Carolina State (2008) and began his coaching career as defensive line coach at Division III Rensselaer Polytechnic Institution (RPI) during the 2007 season. He helped RPI to an 8-2 record, a Liberty League championship and berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

As a collegiate player, Washington was a three-year starter and four-year letterman at defensive tackle for the Boston College Eagles (2002-05). He received the team's Paul Cavanaugh Award in 2006, given to the player whose on and off field accomplishments speaks volumes about his commitment, outlook, volunteer work, ethics and work in the community and on the team. Washington also earned the Eagles' Leadership Award in 2005.

A Columbus, Ohio, native, Washington earned his bachelor's degree in sociology from Boston College in 2006. He signed the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders and played one season for the Roughriders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats.