Ohio State Officially Announces Additions, Promotions On Coaching Staff

Ohio State and head coach Ryan Day officially announced on Thursday the additions of two new members of the staff and the promotions of five other assistants for the 2025 season.

The Buckeyes’ two coaching additions — as previously reported — are now officially Matt Patricia as defensive coordinator and Tyler Bowen as offensive line coach/run game coordinator. 

Patricia joins the staff after coaching in the NFL for 19 seasons, including nine seasons calling defensive plays for the New England Patriots, where he won two super bowls. Bowen joins the program after spending seven years as an assistant at numerous Power Five schools, most recently as Virginia Tech’s offensive coordinator for the past three seasons. 

“I have been aware of and followed Matt’s successful NFL career for the past 15 years, or when he first started calling plays for those outstanding New England teams,” Day said in a statement of Patricia. “I have also gotten to know him and, aside from his creative and outstanding abilities as a defensive coach, I think Matt is going to integrate into our program’s culture and values, which are the essence of who we are, very well.” 

“I am really pleased to announce the addition of Tyler Bowen, and his family, to our coaching staff,” said Day. “He’s a terrific coach who will bring experience to the staff along with an excellent record as a recruiter.”

Day also announced the five coaches who have received promotions and additional roles/responsibilities. Those include Brian Hartline to offensive coordinator (previously wide receivers/co-offensive coordinator), Billy Fessler to quarterbacks coach (program assistant/quality control coach), Keenan Bailey to quarterbacks coach (tight ends coach), Matt Guerrieri to pass game coordinator (safeties coach) and Tim Walton to co-defensive coordinator (secondary/cornerbacks coach). 

Fessler, Bailey, Guerrieri and Walton are all still serving in their previous roles in addition to their promoted positions, while Hartline is dropping his co-offensive coordinator tag but will still serve as wide receivers coach. 

Out of those five promoted assistants, Day only provided a public comment on Hartline, who has worked his way up the coaching ladder in his eight seasons with the program. 

“Brian did some of his best coaching this past season,” Day said. “His loyalty and patience are going to pay off, and I think he’s going to be the best coordinator in the country.”

These moves were each made due to the seismic departures of former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly as well as offensive line coach Justin Frye, who each left the program following the Buckeyes’ national title-winning 2024 season to assume the same roles with Penn State and the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders and Arizona Cardinals, respectively.