Ohio State DC Matt Patricia talks about recruitment and how he uses his NFL experience in the process

One of the biggest adjustments for coaches going from the NFL to college football is recruiting. Matt Patricia, the new Ohio State Buckeyes defensive coordinator, will try to use his NFL coaching experience as a strong point to get to recruits.

The former Detroit Lions head coach and longtime New England Patriots assistant shared his thoughts on recruiting on Friday with Dillon Davis of the Delaware Gazette.

“For obviously the guys that are coming here, (if) they want to go to the NFL, if that’s their goal, that’s certainly something I can help them with. I’ve had a lot of jobs in the NFL, both sides of the ball, and front office roles, and head coach roles, and coordinator roles. So I know what’s required for that,” Matt Patricia said.

The new Buckeyes defensive coordinator served in several different capacities in New England, including offensive line assistant, linebackers coach, safeties coach and defensive coordinator. He was also a senior defensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023.

Matt Patricia is best remembered for his stint as Detroit Lions head coach from 2018 to 2020. He finished with a 13-29-1 record in two-plus seasons with the Lions.

Regarding his feelings on recruiting, Patricia shared that he enjoys the process of speaking with prospects and their parents.

“Having conversations with mom, dad, potential player for us, student athlete. Telling them how we can help develop and grow their son, that’s really important, and that’s something for me that I really enjoy. I really enjoyed having those conversations. I enjoyed building those relationships,” Matt Patricia said.

Ryan Day shares why he hired Matt Patricia as DC

The 2025 offseason must have been bittersweet for Ohio State head coach Ryan Day. After winning his first national championship, Day saw a lot of key pieces leaving the building, including his offensive and defensive coordinators.

To fill the role of defensive coordinator, the head coach looked for an experienced coach with a big name, and that’s how he came about Matt Patricia.

“I felt like Matt was that guy for a lot of reasons and the first one was his experience coaching 19 years in the NFL. He’s coached in six Super Bowls and has three Super Bowl rings. The experience speaks for itself. I think he’s one of the best minds in the game,” Ryan Day said.

Patricia will be coaching in college for the first time in 22 years, when he was a graduate assistant at Syracuse. He will be leading an Ohio State defense that finished as the top ranked defense in 2024 but lost several important players.

The new DC will face his first test soon enough, as the Buckeyes will open the season against the Texas Longhorns on Aug. 30.