A new name has emerged in Ohio State's search for a defensive coordinator.
According to 247Sports' Matt Zenitz, former Patriots assistant and Lions head coach Matt Patricia was in Columbus on Monday to meet with Ohio State about its defensive coordinator opening.
Matt Patricia was in Columbus yesterday meeting with Ohio State about its defensive coordinator opening, sources tell @CBSSports/@247Sports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) February 11, 2025
The former Detroit Lions head coach was the New England Patriots defensive coordinator from 2012-17.https://t.co/qOetA1jj8s pic.twitter.com/DIVro6xrLb
Patricia is the latest name connected to Ohio State's vacant coordinator job following Jim Knowles' departure to Penn State. Buckeyes safeties coach Matt Guerrieri and Kansas City Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen have also been connected to the opening in previous weeks.
Patricia had the most success in his coaching tenure with the Patriots under Bill Belichick, which included three Super Bowls. He coached in New England from 2004 to 2017, holding various titles, including defensive coordinator from 2012 to 2017. He was the Patriots' defensive play caller from 2009 to 2017. The Patriots ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in points allowed per game in eight of those nine seasons, leading the NFL in scoring defense in 2016 on its way to winning the Super Bowl.
He had an unsuccessful tenure as a head coach in Detriot from 2018-2020, only going 13-29-1 in three seasons before being fired.
Patricia returned to the Patriots as a senior advisor for two seasons and spent 2023 as a senior defensive assistant for the Philadelphia Eagles. He did not coach anywhere in the 2024 campaign.
Ohio State will likely move quickly to fill its defensive coordinator opening, with Day previously saying he hoped to finalize his coaching staff early this week.
