COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio State has found its new defensive coordinator who was part of three Super Bowl titles with the New England Patriots.

Matt Patricia is set to become the Buckeyes new defensive coordinator after Jim Knowles left Ohio State to become Penn State’s defensive coordinator, a source confirmed to NBC4. Buckeyes secondary coach Tim Walton will be promoted to serve as a co-defensive coordinator with Patricia while safeties coach Matt Guerrieri will become the pass-game coordinator, NBC4 has also learned.

Patricia, 50, comes to Columbus with one of the most decorated resumes as a defensive coordinator. He worked in New England with Bill Belichick from 2004 to 2017 and was part of three Super Bowl championships. Starting as an assistant offensive line coach, he climbed the coaching ladder and became the defensive coordinator in 2012.

As defensive coordinator for six seasons, he helped the Patriots win Super Bowl XLIX over the Seattle Seahawks in the 2014 season and Super Bowl LI over the Atlanta Falcons in the 2017 season.

Patricia’s lone head coaching job was with the Detroit Lions from 2018 to 2020. In three seasons with Detroit, Patricia had a 13-29-1 record and was fired midseason in 2020. His most recent position was as a senior defensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023.

He will now work with Walton to lead Ohio State’s defense. Walton has been the Buckeyes’ secondary coach since 2022 and was last a defensive coordinator in 2013 with the St. Louis Rams.

The Buckeyes coaching staff has gone through numerous changes after winning the 2024 national championship. Head coach Ryan Day will also have co-offensive coordinators with Brian Hartline and Keenan Bailey promoted to the roles after Chip Kelly’s departure to the NFL.

Ohio State begins its 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.