COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Another coach that was part of Ohio State’s 2024 national championship run is being rewarded with an in-house promotion.

Multiple reports said that the Buckeyes’ tight ends coach Keenan Bailey will be promoted to serve as a co-offensive coordinator. Bailey will retain his tight ends job and will work with new offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, who reportedly will be promoted to the top assistant job after Chip Kelly’s departure to the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders.

Bailey, a Florida native, came to Ohio State in 2016 and has been part of the coaching staff ever since. After two years as a recruiting analyst at Notre Dame, he came to Columbus and first served as an offensive intern for running backs.

He has climbed up the coaching ladder ever since, holding the positions of offensive intern for wide receivers (2017-18), quality control coach for quarterbacks (2019-21), special assistant to the head coach and quality control for offensive linemen (2022), and landed his tight ends job in 2023.

The Buckeyes are continuing their search for a new defensive coordinator after Jim Knowles’ departure to take the same role at Penn State. Head coach Ryan Day and the Buckeyes begin their national title defense on Aug. 30 when they host Texas at Ohio Stadium in a rematch of last season’s Cotton Bowl, which also served as a playoff semifinal.