Ohio State has reportedly made another change to its offensive coaching staff, promoting tight ends coach Keenan Bailey to co-offensive coordinator on Monday.
Bailey earns the promotion ahead of his ninth season on the Buckeyes’ staff and just two seasons after being moved from a special assistant to the head coach and offensive line quality control coach to tight ends coach before the 2023 season.
Bailey was instrumental to the success and development of former Ohio State tight end and current Houston Texan Cade Stover and was also key in leading a deep tight end room this year that was effective both in the passing and blocking game.
He will continue to coach tight ends at Ohio State along with his co-offensive coordinator role.
“Probably the most unsung hero on our staff, the hardest worker in the building,” head coach Ryan Day said of Bailey during Ohio State’s national championship celebration.
Bailey, a Notre Dame graduate, has experience coaching each of the five offensive position groups at Ohio State since 2016, which will certainly help him in his expanded role.
Bailey becomes the third Ohio State staff member to earn a promotion in this hectic offseason, joining Brian Hartline, who was named offensive coordinator earlier this month after Chip Kelly left for the same role at the Las Vegas Raiders, and Billy Fessler, who moved from being an offensive analyst to quarterbacks coach for 2025.
They join a 2025 offensive staff that also includes new offensive line coach and run game coordinator Tyler Bowen, who is replacing Justin Frye after he left for the same position with the Arizona Cardinals, and running backs Carlos Locklyn, who is entering second season in that role.
Ohio State has yet to find a replacement for former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles after he left for the same role at Penn State, but Day said on Friday that he expects his staff to be finalized this week.
