Ryan Day is one of the highest-paid coaches in college football, but heading into the 2024 season faced increasing pressure to deliver a return on the investment for the Ohio State Buckeyes. In pursuit of the ultimate prize, Day made some amendments to the Ohio State coaching staff, but who makes up the sideline team in Columbus?
Ohio State Buckeyes Coaching Staff
Head Coach, Ryan Day
Taking over the reins as the Buckeyes’ head coach following Urban Meyer’s retirement at the end of 2018, Day quickly established himself as a head coaching force in college football. In his first full season in charge, he became the first Ohio State head coach to be named Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year in 40 years.
Additionally, he’s the first Ohio State HC to win consecutive Big Ten championships in his first two seasons. While compiling a remarkable 66-10 record in his tenure so far, Day has led the Buckeyes into the College Football Playoff four times in his six full seasons at the helm.
Day joined Ohio State’s coaching staff in 2017 as a co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Under his stewardship, J.T. Barrett was named the Big Ten Quarterback of the Year. Dwayne Haskins repeated that award in 2018, adding Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and Heisman Trophy finalist to his résumé.
Day’s coaching background is exclusively on the offensive side of the ball. A former quarterback at New Hampshire, Day coached tight ends there in 2002 before stints at Boston College (general assistant, 2003-2004; WRs coach, 2007-2011; OC/QBs coach, 2013-2014), Florida (GA), Temple (WRs coach, 2006; OC/WRs coach, 2012), and two years in the NFL coaching quarterbacks.
Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach, Chip Kelly
After a difficult season offensively in 2023, Chip Kelly was hired to the Ohio State coaching staff to try and revive the unit in 2024. Kelly and Head Coach Day have an existing relationship from their time together at New Hampshire (Kelly coached Day as a player), while spending two seasons working together in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.
For the most part of his 29 years in the college game, Kelly has been considered one of the great offensive minds of the sport. His Oregon Ducks teams were dominant, finishing top five in multiple offensive metrics in consecutive seasons (2010-2012), leading the nation in points per game and total offense in 2010.
Although he only compiled a 35-34 as the UCLA Bruins head coach between 2018 and 2023, his teams set the tone on the ground, an element he brings to the Buckeyes, whose 2024 running back room is as good as any in the country. Kelly left UCLA to take the Ohio State job, adding another stop to a coaching resume that you can find in full below:
- Columbia (Defensive backs, special teams coach, 1990; outside linebackers, safeties coach, 1991)
- New Hampshire (RB coach, 1992 and 1994-1996; OL coach, 1997-1998; offensive coordinator, 1999-2006)
- Oregon (offensive coordinator, 2007-2008; head coach, 2009-2012)
- Philadelphia Eagles (head coach, 2013-2015)
- San Francisco 49ers (2016)
- UCLA (head coach, 2018-2023)
- Ohio State (offensive coordinator and QB coach, 2024)
Defensive Coordinator, Jim Knowles
A highly experienced defensive coach who rose to prominence following success at Oklahoma State, Jim Knowles joined Ohio State as defensive coordinator for the 2022 campaign. The Buckeyes saw an immediate return on investment, improving significantly on a unit that had ranked in the bottom half of the Big Ten in 2021.
Knowles led a similar renaissance at Oklahoma State. Under his stewardship in 2020, the Cowboys led the nation in third-down defense and registered in the top 25 nationally across several defensive metrics. Knowles’ efforts during his final season in Stillwater led him to become a semifinalist for the Broyles Award.
The 2024 college football season is Knowles’ 37th season as a coach, and his third on the Ohio State staff. A student at Cornell University, the defensive mastermind earned his first role with the program the year after graduating. His full coaching résumé can be found below.
- Cornell (DL coach, 1988; RBs coach, 1989-1994; LBs coach, 1995-1996)
- Western Michigan (DL coach, 1997-2000; DC 2001-2002)
- Ole Miss (LBs coach, 2003)
- Cornell (head coach, 2004-2009)
- Duke (safeties coach, 2010; DC/LBs coach, 2011-2017)
- Oklahoma State (DC/LBs coach, 2018-2021)
- Ohio State (DC/LBs coach, 2022-present)
Co-Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receiver Coach, Brian Hartline
A high-level recruiter and elite producer of wide-receiving talent, Brian Hartline is widely regarded as the best WR coach in the nation. He has spent his entire coaching career on the Ohio State staff, returning to his alma mater after an impressive NFL career. Hartline’s success stories include multiple first round NFL Draft receivers, and a Biletnikoff Award winner (Marvin Harrison Jr.)
Running Backs Coach, Carlos Locklyn
One of the major changes for the 2024 college football season, Carlos Locklyn joined the Ohio State coaching staff as running backs coach after spending the previous two years with new Big Ten rival Oregon Ducks. An experienced high school coach who also spent time at multiple FBS programs, Locklyn still holds single-season rushing records at his alma mater, Chattanooga.
Offensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator, Justin Frye
A former offensive lineman at Big Ten rival Indiana, Justin Frye joined the Ohio State coaching staff in 2022 after four years as the OL coach at UCLA. Beginning his coaching career at his alma mater as a graduate assistant, Frye took on the same role at Florida before his first OL role at Temple. He was also the OL coach/run-game coordinator at Boston College from 2013-2017.
Cornerbacks and Secondary Coach, Tim Walton
Long-time NFL coach Tim Walton joined Ohio State’s staff in 2022, taking on the role of secondary and cornerbacks coach. Walton coached in the NFL between 2009 and 2021, working for the Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams, New York Giants, and Jacksonville Jaguars. He also has extensive college experience, starting his career in 1995 with Bowling Green.
Safeties Coach, Matt Guerrieri
An Ohio native who served on the Ohio State coaching staff as a senior analyst in 2022, Matt Guerrieri returned to Columbus for the 2024 season as safeties coach. His coaching career started at Lenoir-Rhyne in 2011 before he spent almost a decade with the Duke Blue Devils. He was the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach with the Indiana Hoosiers in the 2023 season.
Defensive Line Coach, Larry Johnson
A high school head coach between 1975 and 1993, Larry Johnson is one of the most experienced members of Ohio State’s coaching staff.
FOLLOW ALONG: Track Every Transfer Portal Entrant in our CFN Transfer Portal Tracker now!
Since coming from Penn State in 2014, Johnson has established himself as one of the best DL coaches in the business — coaching multiple first-round draft picks and defensive linemen of the year — including Chase Young.
Tight Ends Coach, Keenan Bailey
2024 will be the second year as tight ends coach for Keenan Bailey, but the former Notre Dame recruiting analyst has made his presence on Ohio State’s coaching staff felt since arriving in Columbus in 2016. Bailey has worked with the Buckeyes’ RBs, WRs, and QBs, previously as a quality control coach before a promotion to senior advisor to the head coach in February 2022.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and every Group of Five conference and FBS Independent program.