While he could have highlighted the performance of his new starting QB, Julian Sayin, the successful head coach chose instead to direct his initial praise toward his coaching staff — specifically, Matt Patricia.

“Well, he did a great job,” Day said of Patricia to FOX’s Jenny Taft postgame. “Our staff did a great job. I thought the play coming in was excellent. They kept fighting. I can’t say enough about these guys for the first game coming out and playing like this.

“It’s just a start. We got a lot to improve on. But yeah, defense really did a great job all night. A lot of respect for Arch and for Sark and they’re gonna have a great season. But man, what a great win for us to start off with such a young group.”

Despite gaining 336 total yards, Texas struggled to capitalize, as Ohio State’s defense came up big—forcing several turnovers on downs and picking off Manning once. The Buckeyes held the Longhorns to just a single score.

A strong debut for Sayin

Replacing Will Howard was never going to be an easy task — even less so after winning a National Championship. Despite that, Julian Sayin delivered a solid debut as the Buckeyes’ starting QB, something Ryan Day truly appreciated.

“I really like his composure,” Day said. “We probably could open it up later in the game, but his first start, we didn’t want to do that, so we won’t. But I think he could have handled it. This is a great start for him to win a game in his first star to beat the number one team in the country. Big time play over here. I thought he took care of the football and then, I mean, yeah, what a start for him.

“But, you know, just a gutsy win for our team. It’s a long season, so we got a long way to go. But I’m just proud of these guys. Gutsy win here to start.”

As they eagerly await the first spring practices, the Buckeyes‘ head coach expressed excitement about the work they can achieve together with the former New England Patriots coach as they look ahead to what’s to come.

“A lot of energy,” Day said to the press. “Building relationships right now, just getting started. But I think the feedback from our players has been good. I think they really enjoy the conversation, the extra time that they get the chance to spend some one on one time with Matt. His experience and credibility speak for itself.

“I think they know that but now they’re getting a chance to meet him. I think it’s been great. Gotten some great feedback from the recruits as well, had a chance to meet with them. We’re just starting to dive into some of the different things we can do on defense,” he finally concluded.

Although Patricia spent most of his coaching career in the NFL, the former HC of the Detroit Lions had prior experience in the FBS, serving for three years at Syracuse as a graduate assistant.

The controversy surrounding Spring Games

One of the hottest debates in College Football in recent weeks has been the situation surrounding Spring Games, as programs like Nebraska and Texas, among others, decided not to hold them.

In a recent press conference, Ryan Day made it clear that the Buckeyes’ intention is to hold these types of events, which, according to the head coach, serve as preparation for what’s to come.

“I think it’s good for everyone to know,” Day said. “My plan is to have a spring game. I just think we need to save a little bit of wiggle room in case we take injuries. That’s it. We want to do this. We want to play a spring game. Now, there may be some guys that are held from the spring game, but not many. We feel like, I think, we’re 159 days away from playing Texas, and that day will matter to a lot of young players. So, well, we need to get out there and compete. The format of it and how it works will probably be similar to what we’ve done in the past.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

Mac Jones hasn’t looked all that great, either.This screen-pass-loaded, run-heavy offense has taken a toll on his numbers and the narratives around him. And sometimes, it’s evident that they need more of him than just being a game manager.

That’s why most people understood his frustration. He was spotted cursing at the sidelines multiple times, which is why fans and analysts speculated that he had some issues with Matt Patricia’s play-calling.

NFL News: Mac Jones Says There’s No Frustration With Matt Patricia’s Play-Calling

“No. The biggest thing is not letting it affect my play and bringing the best out of my guys,” Jones said after the game. “Today, thought we all did a good job trying to play the next play, play the next series and Matt did a great job. He’s trying to call the game so that we can win.”

“Sometimes, it might be this thing that people don’t know about, like the quick passes for whatever reason and that’s our game plan,” Jones explained. “We knew what we had to do to win and he called a great game and stayed calm. He’s a calm person, very stoic. We’re just going to continue to grow together and do what we can to win games.”

Jones can be as politically correct as he wants to be, but it’s clear that Matt Patricia isn’t built for this job. He failed miserably as a head coach, and his offensive play-calling looks exactly like what happens when DCs call the plays in practice.

Simply put, the Pats aren’t going anywhere with this offense, and Belichick should’ve known better than this. Once again, his stubbornness has gotten in the way of the team, as he just won’t backpedal and admit that he made a mistake, and they – do – need an Offensive Coordinator.