The Ohio State football program will have a new defensive coordinator calling plays this weekend. Matt Patricia will call plays in college for the first time ever. This is the first time in almost a decade that he is a defensive coordinator period, so there are a lot of unknowns heading into Saturday.
That doesn't mean that the Buckeyes don't feel confident with Patricia calling the plays. Even though Jim Knowles is no longer with the program after helping the Ohio State Buckeyes win a national championship, they still believe in what Patricia is able to do.
Caleb Downs isn't just the best defensive player that the Buckeyes have, but he is the best defender in all of college football. He recently compared the difference between having Patricia as his defensive coordinator compared to what it was like playing for Knowles.
Ohio State football player Caleb Downs loves what Matt Patricia is bringing to the Buckeyes
While speaking on his new podcast, Downs 2 Business, with his brother Josh, Caleb talked about why he likes Patricia so much as a defensive coordinator.
Caleb Downs compares Matt Patricia to former OSU DC Jim Knowles. Says Patricia is a great teacher of football and has learned a lot from him.pic.twitter.com/iNfs9tCOub
— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) August 28, 2025
"It's a different coach, and it's a different way he likes to teach things. And I feel like he's a teacher. That's a different thing. Coach Knowles was a great guy, great person to be around, he was a leader, he was a really good play-caller. I would say Coach Patricia hangs his hat on being a teacher, and I feel like I've learned a lot of football from him."
Downs would go on to say that he feels like he knows more football now, and that should allow him to play faster. That's a scary thought for opposing offenses, because Downs is already one of the best players in the country. Opponents don't want him playing any faster or any better than he already does.
How Ohio State is able to absorb everything that Patricia has taught them remains to be seen. Texas, as a first opponent, isn't ideal when you're breaking in two new coordinators. That's something that the Buckeyes are going to be wary of, especially early in the game on Saturday.
It seems that Downs is confident in his coach's ability to call a great game on Saturday and for the rest of the season. We'll see if that ends up being the case or if his lack of collegiate knowledge will come back to bite him.