Matt Patricia is exactly who the Ohio State Buckeyes need right now. It's not your father's Big Ten anymore. You need to be prepared for a dynamic quarterback like reigning Heisman winner and all-time Indiana Hoosiers football legend Fernando Mendoza dicing you up. It's not just scheming for a guy like Tyrone Wheatley to blast through the gap anymore. You might have a QB go sideline to sideline and fling a ball nearly 60 yards down the field.
Cleveland.com's Stephen Means explained that point succinctly on the latest episode of Buckeye Talk, saying, "Because of where Ohio State’s defense seems to be evolving, it’s like they’re the epitome of multiple...Can they be a four-down front? Yes. Can they be a three-down front? Yes. Can they have a five-man front? Yes... Matt Patricia, who’s done every possible scheme you can think of and won Super Bowls — you can take that a step further.”
Patricia's schematic versatility led to a trio of championships with the New England Patriots over the years. The more Patricia does his thing in Columbus, the clearer it is that Bill Belichick's blueprint on the dynastic Pats wasn't what we once thought.
It's clear from how the team recruited during this past transfer portal cycle that versatility is of the utmost importance for the Buckeyes' defense and what Patricia plans to do.
Ohio State added highly versatile pieces from the transfer portal, especially in the trenches
Ohio State added some SEC versatility this offseason, keeping with the times as the Big Ten continues to become a fast and athletic conference.
From the Alabama Crimson Tide, versatile defensive linemen James Smith and Qua Russaw, plus defensive back Earl Little Jr., form a burgeoning pipeline from Nick Saban's final recruiting class in Tuscaloosa and the Yellowhammer State at large.
Smith can play at both the three-technique defensive tackle and nose tackle positions. Russaw will be setting the edge, rushing the passer, and will play some at linebacker. Little will play a bit at safety while also covering slot receivers.
Beyond those three Saban-era recruits, Wisconsin Badgers transfer linebacker Christian Alliegro will slide into the Arvell Reese role of being everywhere at once. At all three levels, there's incoming talent that could cover multiple bases.
While the overall ceiling may be a bit lower, there's arguably more depth this season up front. Smith and Russaw join deep rooms that have Eddrick Houston and Kenyatta Jackson Jr., respectively, leading the way. There will be steady rotations at both positions. DL coach Larry Johnson made sure to stack the trenches yet again. That's a game plan that won't be altered moving forward as his decade-plus-long tenure with the Scarlet and Gray continues.
Patricia has NFL-quality pieces, so replicating what he did in Foxborough, Massachusetts, may be a reasonable ask. Perhaps it's not Reese or Sonny Styles-caliber picks, but there's great power in numbers.
Whether that be the number of players on the depth chart, or the number of different looks you're getting from Patricia's defensive play-calling.
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