The Ohio State Buckeyes are cruising through the highs and perks of reigning supreme in college football. However, they must focus on the season ahead, one in which every school will be aiming for their throne. To stay atop the food chain, it’s paramount for the Buckeyes to fill their void at the defensive coordinator job, and according to reports, Ryan Day has brought in a former member of Bill Belichick’s coaching staff and three-time Super Bowl champion.
No program is safe from the transfer portal, the poaching, and the pandemonium that takes control of the NCAA during the offseason. Many changes have hit the Buckeyes since their crowning at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but perhaps the biggest took place in Day’s staff, as defensive coordinator Jim Knowles left to take the same position with the Penn State Nittany Lions
The news of Knowles’ exit took its toll in the program, including the players and coaches, many disliked how the situation was handled, though it’s mostly a sign of the times in college football.
While the void left behind by Knowles is significant, Ohio State knows it’s not worth crying over spilled milk, and Day set his sight on finding the school’s next defensive mastermind. Safe to say, he focused in an even greater replacement.
Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on prior to the 2025 CFP National Championship against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Former defensive coordinator in Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots, Matt Patricia, signed with the Ohio State Buckeyes as their new defensive coordinator, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
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Patricia’s resume
The job with the Buckeyes is appealing as any other opening in the nation. The current champions offer an unsurpassable opportunity and Matt Patricia could be a great fit for Day’s scheme.
While Patricia failed to find success during his latest stints as head coach in the NFL, his work as a defensive coordinator is widely acclaimed. His presence in the Buckeyes’ program could be just what Ohio State needs to complete the back-to-back during the upcoming campaign.
During his years in Foxborough with Belichick, Patricia won three Super Bowls (SB XXXIX, SB XLIX, and SB LI), although he was an offensive assistant coach during the first championship, and would become defensive coordinator in 2012.
Grass wasn’t greener in Detroit
As his reputation in the league was on the rise, Patricia joined the Detroit Lions as head coach in 2018. However, his tenure in Motor City was disappointing, as he finished with a 13-29-1 record. In his first two seasons, the team missed the playoffs and finished last in the division. His third season was cut short when he was fired before the campaign’s conclusion.
Senior football advisor and offensive line coach Matt Patricia (L) and head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots walk onto the field for a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Patricia’s last job in the NFL came as a senior defensive assistant for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023. Yet, the defense in Philly didn’t experience much success and ended the season with a very disappointing defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wildcard round.
