Matt Patricia is staying in Columbus, and the Ohio State Buckeyes made sure the number reflected what he’s worth. Patricia built his name running the New England Patriots‘ defense for years, putting together units that mixed schemes and kept offenses off-balance long enough to win three Super Bowls, following the 2004, 2014 and 2016 seasons.
He carried that same approach to Ohio State, installing a system complex enough to challenge opponents but simple enough for his players to play fast and aggressive.
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The results showed up immediately. In his first season with the Buckeyes, Ohio State went 12-0 in the regular season, topped the national rankings on defense and punched back into the College Football Playoff.
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive coordinator Matt Patricia celebrates after the game against the Michigan Wolverines.Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
(Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)
The Buckeyes locked up their defensive coordinator on a three-year extension worth $11.45 million, according to On3. Patricia will pull in $3.75 million in year one, then $3.85 million in each of the final two seasons.
The deal makes him the highest-paid assistant or coordinator in college football and puts him inside the top 60 highest-paid coaches in the sport overall, per Pete Nakos.
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Hard to argue with that price tag when you look at what his defense did last season. Ohio State surrendered just 9.3 points and 219.1 yards per game — both the best numbers in the country.
Across 14 games, opponents scored 20 points only once. That came in the Cotton Bowl Classic, a 24-14 CFP quarterfinal loss to the Miami Hurricanes and even then, seven of those points came off a 72-yard pick-six.
Patricia’s unit was not giving up much on its own. Moreover, the roster he’s working with heading into next season is not thinning out either.
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Defenders Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs are all projected to go inside the top ten of the upcoming NFL Draft, a testament to what Patricia’s system does for player development.
In Columbus, the expectations are climbing. Two national titles in three seasons seems to be the standard being set. With Patricia locked in, Ohio State has every reason to believe that is not out of reach.
Related: College Football Top 25 Pre-Spring Rankings for 2026
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
