What to do for an encore?
For Matt Patricia and the Ohio State defense, it’s a legitimate question.
Despite having to replace most of the starters from the Buckeyes’ 2024 national championship team, Patricia did the improbable in his first season as defensive coordinator. Ohio State’s defense got even better in 2025.
The Buckeyes allowed the fewest points and yards in the country last year. No offense scored more than 17 points against them.
But now several of those players are in the NFL – first-round picks Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs and Kayden McDonald, in addition to sack leader Caden Curry and cornerback Davison Igbinosun.
“Last year was great,” Patricia told reporters Thursday after OSU’s seventh practice of training camp. “Those guys were unbelievable. I was super lucky.
“But as far as this year, you have to move on. Every year is a new year, and you start over, and that's what we had to do.”
Patricia will reconfigure the defense with a mix of returning starters like defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr., tackle Eddrick Houston and cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr., first-time starters such as linebacker Payton Pierce and cornerback Devin Sanchez, and a group of experienced transfers.
“I think there are different skill sets on the field now than maybe what we had last year,” Patricia said. “Not better or worse. Just different. It is really trying to figure out what they do well now.”
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