PISCATAWAY -- Rutgers is finalizing a deal with Ohio State defensive coordinator Chris Ash to be its new head coach, according to a top school official. The hiring must be approved by the university's Board of Governors on Monday before it becomes official. News of Ash's impending hiring was first reported by Sports Illustrated.



Ash, 41, has been the defensive coordinator at Ohio State for the past two seasons. The Buckeyes are ranked second nationally in scoring defense this season.

Rutgers athletic director Pat Hobbs declined to comment when approached at halftime of Saturday's men's basketball game against Seton Hall.

Rutgers fired Kyle Flood on Sunday after four years as head coach.

Ash was a top candidate for the Syracuse coaching vacancy, but reportedly withdrew his name from consideration on Wednesday, at the same time his name started to be linked to Rutgers. Syracuse will reportedly hire Bowling Green coach Dino Babers.

A native of Ottumwa, Iowa, Ash has no head coaching experience and no apparent ties to New Jersey. Prior to landing at Ohio State in 2014, Ash spent one season as the defensive coordinator at Arkansas and two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin. He has also been an assistant at Iowa State, San Diego State and Drake, where he played defensive back from 1992-96.

Ash was an assistant at Wisconsin from 2010-12, serving as defensive coordinator in his final two seasons with the Badgers. Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez is friends with Rutgers board of governors chairman Greg Brown. Brown watched Rutgers' 48-10 loss at Wisconsin on Oct. 31 in Alvarez' suite, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

Ash is known for running an aggressive 4-3 defensive scheme. Ohio State stifled Rutgers' offense in a 49-7 blowout this season by bringing eight men into the box to stop the run and playing press man-coverage with its cornerbacks.

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer hired Ash in 2014 to revamp the team's defense. The Buckeyes ranked 19th in total defense and 26th in scoring defense nationally while winning the national championship in 2014. They rank 10th in total defense and second in scoring defense nationally this season.

Meyer's coaching tree includes Houston's Tom Herman, Utah's Kyle Whittingham, Texas' Charlie Strong, Mississippi State's Dan Mullen, Oregon State's Gary Andersen and Boston College's Steve Addazio.

Ash mostly recruited the Midwest and South while at Ohio State. He made $590,000 as Ohio State's defensive coordinator.

Dan Duggan may be reached at dduggan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DDuggan21. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.