Ohio State’s national championship celebration under head coach Ryan Day has quickly given way to significant changes to his staff, presenting challenges this offseason.
The departure of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to Penn State, coupled with the losses of Chip Kelly to the Las Vegas Raiders and offensive line coach Justin Frye to the Arizona Cardinals, left notable gaps in the coaching staff.
While the Buckeyes have swiftly addressed their offensive vacancies, promoting Brian Hartline to offensive coordinator and bringing in Tyler Bowen to coach the offensive line, the search for a new defensive coordinator continues to generate buzz.
That search appears to be narrowing, with a prominent NFL figure emerging as a leading candidate.
“Matt Patricia has officially completed an interview to be Ohio State’s next defensive coordinator. … Appears to be a good possibility Patricia ends up in Columbus,” The Silver Buletin wrote on X.
Matt Patricia has officially completed an interview to be Ohio State's next defensive coordinator.
Patricia, a three-time Super Bowl champion as DC of the New England Patriots, has not coached in college since 2003.
Appears to be a good possibility Patricia ends up in Columbus. pic.twitter.com/KmbDqbwu4d
— The Silver Bulletin (@tSilverBulletin) February 11, 2025
Patricia would bring significant NFL pedigree back to the college game, having earned three Super Bowl rings during his tenure as the New England Patriots’ defensive coordinator.
However, it’s worth noting that he hasn’t coached at the collegiate level in two decades.
Patricia’s NFL career began with the Patriots in 2004 as an offensive assistant, eventually climbing the ranks to become defensive coordinator by 2012.
This success paved the way for a head coaching opportunity with the Detroit Lions, though his three-year stint produced a disappointing 13-29-1 record.
Following his departure from Detroit, Patricia returned to New England as assistant head coach under Bill Belichick in 2021 before transitioning to offensive line coach in 2022.
His most recent role was as a senior defensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023.
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