As the Texas Longhorns prepare for their August 30 season opener against Ohio State, head coach Steve Sarkisian addressed the looming concern of facing the Buckeyes’ new defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia.
Sarkisian acknowledged the unique challenge, citing Patricia’s unfamiliarity with the college game as a potential variable. While the former NFL coach brings a high-profile resume, skepticism remains about his ability to adjust to the collegiate level and meet Ohio State’s defensive expectations.
Matt Patricia’s Fit at Ohio State Questioned as Texas’ Sarkisian Prepares for Opener
As the Texas Longhorns gear up for their highly anticipated season opener against Ohio State on August 30, head coach Steve Sarkisian has not shied away from acknowledging the unique defensive challenge presented by Matt Patricia, the Buckeyes’ newly appointed defensive coordinator.
With Patricia transitioning from an extensive NFL career into the college ranks, questions have arisen about how effectively his NFL-style schemes will translate to the collegiate game.
Speaking with CBS Austin’s Bob Ballou, Sarkisian addressed the uncertainty head-on, noting the difficulty of preparing for a defense led by someone with virtually no recent college coaching film to study.
“Defensively is the more difficult part,” Sarkisian said. “It’s one thing to change coordinators from a college coordinator that you have some film on, but here’s an NFL coordinator in Matt Patricia… he really hasn’t been a coordinator for almost five years.”
Patricia, best known for his time with the New England Patriots as defensive coordinator and later as the Detroit Lions’ head coach, brings a reputation for complex schemes and multiple defensive fronts.
Yet that same complexity presents a challenge for Texas in terms of preparation.
“How do you go back and how do you look?” Sarkisian asked. “What do they keep that Jim Knowles did? What do they incorporate from Matt Patricia? And then what does he actually call when the games come?”
Sarkisian emphasized that preparing for Patricia’s defense requires casting a wide net across film from different NFL teams, given the lack of recent collegiate data.
“We were watching Baltimore Ravens tape. We were watching New York Giants film,” he recalled from a previous matchup. “This year is no different… you’re studying the Detroit Lions, you’re studying the New England Patriots, you’re still looking at Ohio State film.”
Uncertainty Around Ohio State’s Defensive Identity Looms
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has remained confident in Patricia’s integration with the team. In a recent interview, Day said,
“When we hired him, I was fired up, and I’m more fired up now. I see him talk to the guys, talk to recruits, building relationships. They’re taking ownership of this defense.”
Despite skepticism surrounding Patricia’s college adaptation, Day believes the players are responding positively.
“There’s a certain level of comfort in that huddle when they’re communicating,” he added.
From Texas’ standpoint, Sarkisian stressed the importance of in-game adaptability, especially with an unproven coordinator on the opposing sideline.
“You have to call what you believe in and hopefully you have enough answers in those plays,” he said. “We’re a lot more well-versed now to handle that… we’re looking around the corner, per se, of what’s coming.”
He also highlighted how experience has taught him to expect the unexpected, particularly against top-tier opponents like Ohio State.
“People save some of their stuff for Texas,” he noted. “The couple exotic blitzes they haven’t shown all year, the disguising of coverages… We show up, they’re playing a three down front and a three safety defense.”
For Sarkisian, the focus remains on preparation and resilience, even when faced with an unpredictable opponent.
“You just try to lean into what you believe in and what you’re good at and then have the ability to hopefully evolve as the game goes,” he said.
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With Patricia’s background and the unknowns surrounding Ohio State’s defense, Texas knows it will have to adjust on the fly.
