After Ohio State lost its offensive coordinator to the USF Bulls, Ryan Day’s coaching staff faced a test of stability. To prevent further chaos, Ryan Day prioritized locking down the defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia, who remains in Columbus, amid NFL interest. The latest news, however, could ease those worries.

For weeks, it has been rumored that Matt Patricia is a candidate under discussion to replace Matt Eberflus as the Cowboys’ DC. However, the latest report from CBS’s NFL insider Jonathon Jones revealed that the Cowboys agreed to hire the Eagles’ passing game coordinator and secondary coach, Christian Parker, as their new defensive coordinator.

“The Dallas Cowboys are finalizing a deal with Eagles passing game coordinator/DBs coach Christian Parker to be their next defensive coordinator, sources tell @NFLonCBS,” Jonathon Jones wrote on X. “Parker is one of the best young coaches in all of football, and he lands in Dallas.”

This comes as a big relief for all Buckeye fans as Parker’s hiring would keep Patricia’s name out of the NFL hiring cycle, and he would remain under Ryan Day’s coaching staff at Columbus. The longtime NFL coordinator returned to the collegiate game last season, replacing Jim Knowles as Ohio State’s DC. Though it was considered a bold and unpredictable move, the 3x Super Bowl-winning experience paid off at the collegiate level.

“They’re just physical up front,” Miami OC Shannon Dawson said. “Really, where they hammer people is their D-Line and linebackers and even safeties that come down, and they’re hard to run the ball against, you know?” Patricia tries not to make the defensive play calls too complicated. He makes subtle changes and switches up the pre snap looks which end up confusing opposing offenses.

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A player can be present in multiple places as defensive lineman Caden Curry could be seen moving around into different positions from the end to the middle to pass rush. The players love it too. “He’s using us as players and not necessarily just spots in his defense,” Sonny Styles said. “So it’s been great playing for him.”

The Buckeyes were ranked among the top three in defense throughout Matt Patricia’s first year at Ohio State. They led the nation in several key defensive categories, including scoring defense (allowing only 8.2 points per game), passing defense (129.1 yards per game), and red zone defense (permitting scores on just 66.7% of opponent possessions).

Patricia’s hiring helped bring back Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese, and Sonny Styles and landed a commitment from five-star athlete Kayden McDonald. Those players played a key role in the Buckeyes’ defense, where DT McDonald, LB Reese, and safety Downs earned All-America first-team selections.

He’s been the cornerstone of Ryan Day’s staff, and the Cowboys news could soothe the head coach’s concerns about Patricia’s future with Ohio State.

Matt Patricia to strengthen Ohio State’s defense

Despite NFL rumors, Coach Day and his DC, Matt Patricia, hit the recruiting trail on Wednesday across three states, including Virginia, North Carolina, and Connecticut, to support Ohio State’s recruiting efforts. It’s necessary since many defensive stars like Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese, and Sonny Styles have declared for the NFL Draft.

Day and Patricia visited Mills Godwin High School to meet standout IOL Brody McNeel, their 2027 class recruit. The 6-foot-5, 265-pounder committed to OSU in November 2020, rejecting scholarships from Penn State, Tennessee, and other schools. 

Following the stop, Day and Patricia visited Quinton Cypher, the ninth-best LB prospect of the Class of 2027, who joined the Buckeyes program last December. Their visit made Quinton’s mother, Alicia, share her excitement on X: “Do you have any idea how much I’m fangirling right now?!?!! #InthePresenceOfGreatness @CypherQuinton @OhioStateFB.”

Following that, Coach Day and Patricia also visited Millbrook High School to meet Mekai Brown, the four-star edge and the No. 1 prospect in the state of Connecticut for the 2027 class. With that being said, it is pretty clear that Day and Patricia have no internal tensions, despite coaching rumors, and are working together to build a strong defense for the future class.