Can Matt Patricia pull off the rebuild twice? Inside Ohio State's wide open 2026 defense

Ohio State’s 2026 defense rebuild is the central question as the Buckeyes enter the year as a national contender built largely on a remodeled offense. With Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith and a deep skill group drawing most of the summer attention under new coordinator Arthur Smith, the defense remains the program’s championship foundation after the 2025 title. That leaves second-year coordinator Matt Patricia tasked with rebuilding the “best defense in the country” again with few returning pieces, following the February 2025 hire of a longtime NFL coach with Patriots ties. In 2025, Ohio State finished No. 1 nationally in total, passing and scoring defense, featuring All-Americans Caleb Downs, Kayden McDonald and Arvell Reese. Seven defensive starters were drafted in 2026, including Reese and Sonny Styles in the top 10 and Downs at No. 11 to Dallas, while Patricia is set to earn $3.75 million in 2026, the highest assistant salary in college football. The competitive stakes hinge on how well he can teach scheme and terminology to a roster leaning on transfers.