Who is the new Ohio State defensive coordinator? All we know about the Buckeyes’ new coach 

Ohio State is in the final stages of securing a deal to appoint Matt Patricia as its new defensive coordinator. The veteran NFL coach steps into the role following the departure of Jim Knowles, who left to take over as Penn State’s defensive coordinator following the 2024 season.

Patricia served as the New England Patriots defensive coordinator for six seasons from 2012 to 2017. He was the defensive coordinator for two Super Bowl victories and was also part of the coaching staff as an offensive assistant during the Patriots' 2004 championship season.

Matt Patricia began calling defensive plays as early as 2010, despite not officially holding the title, a strategic approach by Bill Belichick to ease new coordinators into the role while minimizing external pressure. His arrival at Ohio State coincides with Belichick's transition to college football at North Carolina.

Matt Patricia’s coaching career so far

Patricia started his career as a graduate assistant in his alma mater, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in 1996. He subsequently served as a defensive line coach at Amherst from 1999 to 2000 and as offensive graduate assistant at Syracuse from 2001 to 2003.

He later transitioned to the NFL in 2004 with the Patriots where he spent almost the next decade and a half of his career in his first stint. He served in different roles, including linebacker coach and safeties coach before becoming the defensive coordinator in 2012.

Following his success as an assistant under Belichick, he was offered a head coaching job by the Detroit Lions in 2018. However, his three-year tenure with the franchise was unsuccessful, ending with a 13-29-1 record. He was fired during the 2020 NFL season.

Matt Patricia returned to New England ahead of the 2021 NFL season. He was handed a senior advisor role and doubled as an offensive line coach in 2022. He teamed up with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 as a senior defensive assistant.

Matt Patricia’s hiring coincides with the promotion of some Ohio State coaching staff

Ohio State’s decision to hire Patricia coincides with the internal promotion of secondary coach Tim Walton to co-defensive coordinator. The coach arrived in Columbus in 2022 after a lengthy NFL coaching career, during which he worked with four different teams from 2009 to 2021.

Additionally, Ohio State safeties coach Matt Guerrieri will be elevated to pass-game coordinator ahead of the 2025 season. Guerrieri, a disciple of Jim Knowles, previously served as Duke's co-defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021 and held the same role at Indiana in 2023.