Ohio State has added another former NFL player to its staff for the 2025 season.
Billy Yates, who played in the NFL from 2003-10 and previously worked as an assistant offensive line coach alongside new Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia with the New England Patriots and Detroit Lions, has joined the Buckeyes’ support staff as a defensive quality control coach.
Yates is one of four former NFL players to join Ohio State’s expanded coaching staff this offseason alongside assistant offensive line coach Marcus Johnson, defensive program assistant Tony Washington Jr. and special teams quality control coach Nate Ebner, who’s starting his coaching career with the Buckeyes this offseason after previously playing at Ohio State and in the NFL.
A Texas A&M alumnus, Yates played offensive line for the Miami Dolphins in 2003, the Patriots from 2004-08 and the Cleveland Browns in 2009 and 2010. He started his coaching career in 2013 as a strength coach at Texas A&M, spending four years in that role before becoming the head strength and conditioning coach at Bowling Green. After three years at Bowling Green, Yates joined Patricia’s staff with the Lions as an assistant offensive line coach in 2020, then was the assistant offensive line coach for the Patriots from 2021-23.
Ohio State now has seven total former NFL players on its coaching staff with the new support staffers joining offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, linebackers coach James Laurinaitis and assistant secondary coach Michael Hunter.
Yates is one of 10 new additions to Ohio State’s support staff this offseason, which was announced by Ohio State on Monday. Other new additions to the staff, along with Patricia and offensive line coach Tyler Bowen, include Charlie Dickey (offensive program assistant), Austin Fields (offensive quality control), Taver Johnson (defensive quality control), Colin Keanu (offensive program assistant), Wendy Laurent (assistant tight ends coach) and Miguel Patrick (defensive quality control).
They join a returning group of support staff coaches that includes Hunter, Joshua Chorba (defensive program assistant), Gunner Daniel (special teams program assistant), Tim Hinton (offensive quality control), Devin Jordan (offensive program assistant), Rob Keys (special teams quality control), Tony Johnson (offensive quality control) and Sam McGrath (assistant linebackers coach).
