CORVALLIS -- While Tim Tibesar was recruiting this past December for Wisconsin, he made a detour in Los Angeles to meet with Oregon State football coach Jonathan Smith.
Now the OSU defensive coordinator, Tibesar had been recommended to Smith as a candidate through their mutual connections and they met over the course of two days.
The four-time defensive coordinator, who had spent the past three seasons as the outside linebackers coach of one of the nation's elite defenses, soon agreed to try to rebuild one of the worst in Division I football.
The hiring was announced on Dec.