Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes clearly feel like they’ve got the right defensive coordinator in place.
Matt Patricia, the former head coach of the Detroit Lions and a longtime assistant under Bill Belichick with the New England Patriots, was hired ahead of the 2025 season to replace Jim Knowles.
Patricia was immediately a good fit both as a coach and a recruiter, and Ohio State’s defense flourished under his leadership in 2025.
He was good enough that the Buckeyes want to keep him around and reward him in the process. As such, it’s being reported that Patricia has been given a big-time extension by Ohio State.
This is according to Buckeyes reporter Bill Landis, who reports that Patricia’s new deal with OSU is a three-year contract worth $11.45 million.