Matt Patricia to Ohio State highlights top college football coaching hires

With Ohio State set to hire three-time Super Bowl champion and former NFL head coach Matt Patricia, the Buckeyes have capped what has been a raucous four weeks of coaches coming and going. Patricia, 50, will coordinate the defense in Columbus, Ohio.

Patricia’s hire marks the second time Day has hired a former New England Patriots coordinator in as many years. Though Bill O’Brien’s stay in Columbus lasted less than a month, Day clearly has a fascination with Bill Belichick’s coaching tree and has sought out individuals who have coached in the NFL, not unlike him, and have achieved professional football’s highest achievement.

Day has had to replace defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who left to take the same position at Penn State, and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who left to become the OC for Pete Carroll’s Las Vegas Raiders. He replaced his 2024 offensive line coach, Justin Frye, who left to become offensive line coach for the Arizona Cardinals, with former Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen, and elevated offensive assistant Billy Fessler to quarterbacks coach.

Day promoted tight ends coach Keenan Bailey to co-offensive coordinator, safeties coach Matt Guerrieri to passing game coordinator and wide receiver coach Brian Hartline to offensive coordinator.

While the Buckeyes have retooled their coaching staff with new names and new titles, others have been busy doing the same. Notre Dame hired former Ohio State defensive coordinator Chris Ash to replace Al Golden, who became defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, and hired away Penn State running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider for the same position. 

Clemson, Oklahoma and Alabama have all made significant changes at the coordinator level too. Kalen