Ohio State football isn't settling on just Matt Patricia to boost the NFL experience. Head coach Ryan Day is adding a former Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator as Patricia adjusts to the college football game.

ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel dropped an update Saturday on who's heading to OSU.

“Ohio State is expected to add former Miami Dolphins DC and longtime NFL assistant coach Josh Boyer to the coaching staff,” Thamel posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Boyer knows the newest Buckeyes DC well. He worked alongside Patricia between 2006 to 2018 with the New England Patriots. Both men won three Super Bowls working with Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore.

Ex-Dolphins DC working with loaded Ohio State defense 

Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs (2) celebrates after tackling Michigan State Spartans running back Nate Carter (5) in the first half at Spartan Stadium on Saturday.
Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Patricia will handle play-calling duties for the defensive side. Boyer will handle an analyst role in Columbus.

The former Miami defensive play-caller gets a loaded defense to work with.

Safety Caleb Downs is garnering NFL Draft hype. With analyst believing he's the next day one of the draft selection out of OSU. Downs ranks as the highest rated defender on NCAA Football '26. The 48-year-old Boyer brings a background in coaching defensive backs. So he'll likely be in the same room with Downs on multiple occasions.

But Boyer isn't just working with Downs. Linebacker Sonny Styles brings experience with piling the tackles. Styles glorified his younger teammate Arvell Reese, calling him a “crazy athlete.” Reese will line up next to Styles at LB.

Downs, Styles and Reese all spearhead this defense. Ohio State features a top five secondary unit in its conference, though. Holding the title of best secondary in the Big Ten for 2025.

Davison Igbinosun is a physical cornerback returning. Nickelback Lorenzo Styles Jr. adds another veteran leader as a senior. Devin Sanchez fuels the future as a five-star signing for the '25 class. Boyer will have no shortage of talent to work with as he returns to college football coaching for the first time in 20 years. He previously coached at South Dakota School of Mines in 2005 before embarking on his NFL journey.

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