Ohio State’s coaching staff for 2025 is now official.
On Thursday, Ohio State officially announced the hirings of Matt Patricia as defensive coordinator and Tyler Bowen as offensive line coach and run game coordinator as well as the promotions of Brian Hartline to offensive coordinator, Keenan Bailey to co-offensive coordinator, Billy Fessler to quarterbacks coach, Tim Walton to co-defensive coordinator and Matt Guerrieri to defensive passing game coordinator.
They join returning running backs coach Carlos Locklyn, defensive line coach Larry Johnson and linebackers coach James Laurinaitis as Ryan Day’s 10 primary assistant coaches for the 2025 season.
Patricia replaces Jim Knowles as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator after 20 seasons in the NFL, most recently serving as a senior defensive assistant for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023. Most notably, Patricia was the defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots from 2012-17 – winning two Super Bowls in that role – before a three-year stint as the head coach of the Detroit Lions.
We have hired Matt Patricia as Defensive Coordinator
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) February 20, 2025
#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/rOXO2TyMEy
“I have been aware of and followed Matt’s successful NFL career for the past 15 years, or when he first started calling plays for those outstanding New England teams,” Ryan Day said in Ohio State’s news release. “I have also gotten to know him and, aside from his creative and outstanding abilities as a defensive coach, I think Matt is going to integrate into our program’s culture and values, which are the essence of who we are, very well.”
Bowen replaces Justin Frye as Ohio State’s offensive line coach and run game coordinator after three years as the offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech. A former Maryland offensive lineman, Bowen was previously the offensive line coach at his alma mater in 2017, the tight ends coach at Penn State from 2018-20 – also serving as Penn State’s co-offensive coordinator in 2020 – and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ tight ends coach in 2021.
We have hired @TylerBowen as Run Game Coordinator & Offensive Line Coach
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) February 20, 2025
#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/BQzaHegcsD
“I am really pleased to announce the addition of Tyler Bowen, and his family, to our coaching staff,” Day said. “He’s a terrific coach who will bring experience to the staff along with an excellent record as a recruiter.”
Hartline replaces Chip Kelly as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator as he enters his ninth year on the Buckeyes’ staff. He’s been Ohio State’s wide receivers coach since 2018, establishing himself as the best developer and recruiter of receivers in the country. He’ll continue to coach Ohio State’s wide receivers while also calling the Buckeyes’ offensive plays in his new role.
“Brian did some of his best coaching this past season,” Day said. “His loyalty and patience are going to pay off, and I think he’s going to be the best coordinator in the country.”
Bailey gets a bump to co-offensive coordinator as he enters his third year as a full-time assistant coach and 10th year overall on Ohio State’s staff. He’ll continue to serve as Ohio State’s tight ends coach, as he has since 2023.
We have promoted @CoachKee to Co-Offensive Coordinator
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) February 20, 2025
#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/zongH8zoTi
Fessler becomes Ohio State’s quarterbacks coach as the Buckeyes split that responsibility from the offensive coordinator job with Hartline’s promotion. He initially joined Ohio State’s staff last year as an offensive analyst, working closely with the quarterbacks in that role. He was previously the quarterbacks coach at Akron in 2022 and 2023, also serving as the Zips’ offensive coordinator in 2023.
Walton gets a promotion to co-defensive coordinator alongside Patricia as he enters his fourth season as Ohio State’s secondary coach, a role in which he’s helped the Buckeyes’ defensive backfield re-emerge as an elite unit.
Guerrieri becomes Ohio State’s defensive passing game coordinator in his second year as a full-time assistant with the Buckeyes after joining Ohio State’s staff last season as safeties coach.
Ohio State is also reportedly adding three new analysts to its coaching staff for the 2025 season, according to 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz: Marcus Johnson, who was previously the offensive line coach at Purdue; Charlie Dickey, who was previously the offensive line coach at Oklahoma State; and Wendy Laurent, who was previously the associate head coach and tight ends coach at Dartmouth. Those hires have not yet been officially announced by Ohio State.
