Something is in the air surrounding Ohio State Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia as rumors are beginning to swirl about him potentially ging back to the NFL.
Where there is smoke, there is usually fire, especially in the offseason, and for Ohio State Buckeyes' defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, there may be a small burn.
On two separate and unrelated instances on Monday, there were references to Patricia's time in Columbus coming to a close very soon. The first one carries much more weight than the second example because it came directly from the mouth of Buckeyes' legend turned media member Bobby Carpenter.
On his morning radio show on 97.1 The Fan, the guys were discussing the future with Matt Patricia. Carpenter joined the conversation and tried to tiptoe around an answer, and, truthfully, he couldn't have looked any more uncomfortable.
He kept referencing that he has talked to several people, Patricia being one of them, and that there is absolutely a pull back to the Shield. Furthermore, they didn't drop the name, but it was public knowledge by this time that Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski had been relieved of his duties, and that has Carpenter "fairly worried."
If that wasn't enough, later in the day on Monday, Patricia went to Instagram to drop a public message thanking Buckeye Nation.
"Grateful. Thankful. All the emotions. Impossible to put into words what this season meant to me.Buckeye Nation, you are beyond compare. On behalf of my entire family, thank you for welcoming us with open arms. You made this season a joy from start to finish. 🌰❤️
One way to view this message is at face value for exactly what it is. There is a world where he is literally just closing the book on his first year, but there is also a reality that he is maybe saying goodbye.
In just one year, Patricia came in and absolutely left his mark on this Ohio State program. He came to Columbus and gave it everything he had and totally transformed a defense that was talented but in flux. He brought the NFL defense to college and he absolutely terrorized opponents all season.
Week after week, he discovered new ways to deploy his superstars, Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, and Caleb Downs. He created coverages and defenses that had never been in college football, that put opposing quarterbacks in incredible conflict.
What he did in one year with the Buckeyes will never be forgotten. The move to bring him in in the offseason was highly criticized by many, including myself, but it couldn't have worked out any better.
If the Buckeyes only get one year out of him, then add another to-do to Ryan Day's list: find a new (and better) defensive coordinator for 2026.