Report: JMU to name Ohio State DC Everett Withers as new football coach

Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Everett Withers will be the new head football coach at JMU, according to a report from FootballScoop.com.

Withers, the assistant head coach at Ohio State under head coach Urban Meyer, served as the interim head coach at North Carolina in 2011 following the dismissal of Butch Davis. UNC went 7-6 in Withers’ year at the helm.

Ohio State has gone 24-1 in the past two years under Meyer and will play in the Jan. 1 Orange Bowl against Clemson.

Withers would replace Mickey Matthews, who went 109-71 at JMU in 15 seasons and won the 2004 national championship. The Dukes struggled in recent years, though, making the playoffs just once in the past five years, and missing out each of the past two seasons after fading down the stretch in both campaigns.

JMU has not confirmed the FootballScoop.com report and has not made any announcements about the football coaching search.