Ohio State hired NFL coach Matt Patricia as its new defensive coordinator following reports that the two sides were nearing a deal, the university announced Thursday as part of multiple staff changes.

Matt Patricia, who spent was head coach with the Detroit Lions from 2018-20, has been hired as Ohio State's new defensive coordinator.

National champion Ohio State made the appointments of defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline official on Thursday.

In one of the more surprising hires of the college football coaching carousel, Ryan Day and Ohio State Football is finalizing a deal to bring former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia to Columbus as the Buckeyes' next defensive coordinator. ESPN's Pete Thamel was the first to report the news on Wednesday.

Day is hiring Patricia to fill the void left by defensive coordinator Jim Knowles leaving for the same job at Penn State.

Matt Patricia is expected to be named Ohio State football defensive coordinator. Patricia was head coach of the Detroit Lions in 2018-20.

Ohio State officially announced the hirings of Matt Patricia as defensive coordinator and Brian Hartline as offensive coordinator in staff retooling.