What Matt Patricia’s Return to Ohio State Means for the Buckeyes

Last year, the Ohio State Buckeyes’ offense was supposed to be explosive all the way through, except it wasn’t. The team lost firepower way before the postseason, and couldn’t find its way back in time.

Meanwhile, the defense held their end of the bargain pretty well until that second quarter against Miami in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal loss.

Now, a critical piece of that stellar defense has been locked up, with Ohio State Athletic Director Ross Bjork announcing that the school had reached a new deal with defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to keep him on board for the 2026 season.

Ohio State and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia have agreed on a new contract ahead of the 2026 college football season, athletic director Ross Bjork told the Columbus Dispatch. pic.twitter.com/AA6spGGNqm
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 23, 2026

"He was always committed to staying here," Bjork said, according to the Columbus Dispatch. "I know his family loves it. His kids have fit in well. ... We just kept a constant dialogue before we got to an agreement with him."

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed immediately.

What will Matt Patricia's biggest challenge be for the Buckeye's 2026 season?

During his first year in Columbus, Patricia did a phenomenal job inheriting one of the country's top defenses and keeping it up there, despite the loss of several big name players to the NFL a year ago.

The challenge this year will be a little bit more of the same, with three Buckeye defenders projected to go in the first round of April's NFL Draft, and up to seven defenders overall expecting to land somewhere during the seven-round event. Ohio State’s NFL prospects at the 2026 NFL Draft are led by linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, and safety Caleb Downs.

Nonetheless, Patricia will have a few familiar names to work with, namely defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and linebacker Payton Pierce, along with an infusion of talent including defensive tackle James Smith, a transfer from Alabama.

Last year, Patricia’s unit finished first in points allowed per game (9.3) and yards allowed per game (219.1) in the FBS. Patricia was named a finalist for the prestigious Broyles Award, handed out each season for the top assistant coach in college football.

Patricia’s second season as the Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator will also be his second as a coordinator for a major college football program. Previously, he served as a defensive line coach for Amherst in 1999 and 2000, and as a graduate assistant at Syracuse from 2001-2003. Other than that, his whole coaching career has occurred at the NFL level, including a three-year stint as the head coach of the Detroit Lions.

There was some fear that given Patricia’s stellar year with the Buckeyes in 2025, he would become a sought out candidate to take over a head coaching vacancy, whether it be at the collegiate level or the pros.