Report: Matt Patricia, Ohio State Finalizing Contract as New DC After Knowles' Exit

Ohio State is finalizing an agreement with Matt Patricia to make him the team’s new defensive coordinator, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Patricia will replace Jim Knowles, who left for Penn State on the heels of the Buckeyes’ national championship triumph.

The former Detroit Lions head coach and former New England Patriots defensive coordinator reportedly met with OSU on Monday, so his hiring doesn’t come totally out of the blue. Still, the initial surprise that he was even a candidate in the first place hasn’t really subsided.

Patricia's run with the Lions was pretty much a disaster. He got fired midway through his third season after compiling a 13-29-1 record, and he proved to be a terrible culture fit as he tried to build the franchise in the image of the Patriots.

The 50-year-old has limited experience in the collegiate coaching ranks. He was a graduate assistant at Syracuse from 2001-03, and that was the last time he worked outside of the NFL.

Fair or not, Patricia also carries the stigma of being a Bill Belichick disciple. Belichick is one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, but few of his coordinators and assistant coaches have enjoyed success outside of New England.

There’s no question Patricia possesses broad experience, and he has three Super Bowl rings from his time with the Patriots.

In addition, this is part of a wider trend as major programs make splashy coordinator moves and target coaches more closely associated with the NFL, the latter spurred on by Belichick’s arrival at North Carolina.

The goodwill toward Ryan Day has never been higher in Columbus, Ohio. By and large, fans are no longer fixated on his poor record against archrival Michigan.

Adding Patricia to the staff is likely to be an unpopular decision within the fanbase, though. Just as he did in the College Football Playoff, Day will have the last laugh if Patricia maintains the high standards Knowles set with the defense.