Rutgers has a new coach in place ... just not as offensive coordinator.

As coach Chris Ash's search for a play-caller and quarterback guru continues, Rutgers plans to promote director of player personnel Toby Neinas to an on-field coaching position, multiple sources told NJ Advance Media.

A NCAA rule change approved in April and going into effect Jan. 9 increases the maximum number of college football assistant coaches in each program from nine to 10.

Neinas essentially will take the extra spot created, though he only will be the eighth coach under contract as Rutgers still needs an offensive coordinator and defensive line coach. He was hired at Rutgers to handle administrative recruiting duties in February 2016 after a three-year stint as special teams coordinator at Colorado.

Ash and Neinas worked together as assistants at San Diego State in 2007-08, when Ash was defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator, and Neinas was special teams coordinator.

Neinas is expected to handle a to-be-decided defensive position group as well as kickers and punters for special teams coordinator Vince Okruch, a source said. At Rutgers, a different assistant is in charge of each special teams unit, with Ash running point on kickoff coverage.

"We have a plan for the 10th coach that I'm not going to release or discuss," Ash said on Dec. 20. "But it has no bearing on what we do with the offensive coordinator position. Right now, today with the way we're set up, you know, we're going to have a coordinator that coaches quarterbacks."

The son of former Big Eight Conference commissioner and College Football Association executive director Chuck Neinas, Toby has coached at Montana State, New Mexico, San Diego State, Temple, UAB, North Carolina and Colorado over a 20-plus year career that includes NFL Draft picks and All-Americans.

Neinas' versatile resume includes coaching tight ends, linebackers, defensive line, defensive backs and a stint as defensive coordinator.

Rutgers still is in the market for a defensive line coach as a successor to Shane Burnham -- a job that could interest New Jersey natives Ben Albert (a former Rutgers assistant now at Duke), Elijah Robinson (Baylor) or Bill McGovern (Giants).

Ash also has worked in the past with San Francisco 49ers assistant defensive line coach Vince Oghobasse and Texas Tech defensive line coach Terrance Jamison.

Pittsburgh defensive line coach Charlie Partridge -- Ash's close friend -- is not an option because he reportedly could be promoted to defensive coordinator.

Okruch, who doubles as tight ends coach, also has some versatility having coached at all three levels on the defense if the final makeup of Rutgers' 2018 coaching staff requires wider reshuffling.

Ryan Dunleavy may be reached at rdunleavy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rydunleavy. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.