Ryan Day expected to bring in Virginia Tech OC as new offensive line coach

According to reports from CBS Sports and 247Sports, Ryan Day is closing in on hiring Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen as Ohio State’s new offensive line coach. Bowen is set to become the Buckeyes’ first coaching addition of the offseason.

Justin Frye left the position after three seasons to join the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL. Frye’s tenure with the Buckeyes peaked in his final season, as he constructed an impressive offensive line that overcame two season-ending injuries on the route to claiming the national title.

Tyler Bowen has been at Virginia Tech over the past three seasons. He started his coaching career at Maryland as a student assistant in 2010 after injuries prematurely ended his playing career. He later served as a graduate assistant from 2011 to 2012 before moving to other programs to gain experience.

Tyler Bowen joins new offensive coordinator Brian Hartline

Following Ohio State's national championship success, Chip Kelly opted to return to the NFL, taking the Las Vegas Raiders' offensive coordinator position. This left Ryan Day with the challenge of finding a new play-caller while also addressing vacancies at other coaching positions.

According to multiple sources, Ohio State is expected to promote wide receivers coach Brian Hartline to offensive coordinator ahead of next season. Hartline served in the role in 2023 and has played a pivotal role in developing top receivers in Columbus in recent years.

With Tyler Bowen set to join the Buckeyes coaching staff as offensive line coach, he will work close to Brian Hartline in ensuring the Buckeyes offense remains explosive. With Hartline’s performance the last time, It is still uncertain whether he or Ryan Day will assume primary play-calling duties in the 2025 season.

In addition to promoting Brian Hartline, Billy Fessler is anticipated to be named the quarterbacks coach at Ohio State. Fessler, who was an analyst on the 2024 national championship team, spent the majority of his time working closely with the quarterbacks.

Ryan Day is working on hiring a new defensive coordinator

After filling the vacancies of offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, Ryan Day is working towards hiring a new defensive coordinator. Jim Knowles left Ohio State less than a week after the national championship win to team up with conference rivals Penn State.

A host of names have been linked to the job by the media. However, the Buckeyes are still in the process of making the right selection to ensure the strong defensive performance continues in the 2025 college football season.