Ohio State is finalizing a deal to hire veteran NFL coach Matt Patricia as the school’s new defensive coordinator. The move comes with internal promotions for secondary coach Tim Walton and safeties coach Matt Guerrieri, who will take on co-defensive coordinator and pass-game coordinator roles, respectively.
Patricia takes over after Jim Knowles left for Penn State’s defensive coordinator job following the Buckeyes’ 2024 national title win. Patricia has experience as a defensive playcaller, having worked with the New England Patriots from 2012 to 2017. He led the team to two Super Bowl wins and was part of their 2004 championship season.
Patricia also spent three seasons as the head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2018 to 2020. The coaching staff returns strong secondary play, with Walton’s promotion reflecting the unit’s success in recent years. Ohio State will face a new challenge with its defense, which returns just three starters, but features top talent like Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles.
The team will need Patricia’s expertise to rebuild the defense after eight departures, including the entire defensive line. Despite this, the Buckeyes have high-end talent returning, including Downs, Styles, and senior cornerback Davison Igbinosun, who earned All-Big Ten honors.
Source: https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/43811715/ohio-state-hire-ex-nfl-coach-matt-patricia-dc