Here is a look at the current 10-man assistant group (season at Ohio State in current position in parenthesis):
Offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach: Chip Kelly (first)
Running backs: Carlos Locklyn (first)
Receivers: Brian Hartline (fifth full)
Offensive line: Justin Frye (third)
Tight ends: Keenan Bailey (second)
Defensive coordinator: Jim Knowles (third)
Secondary/cornerbacks coach: Tim Walton (third)
Defensive line: Larry Johnson (11th)
Linebackers: James Laurinaitis (first)
Safeties: Matt Guerrieri (first)
Kelly’s decision to give up the position of head coach at UCLA rocked the college football world, but it remains to be seen exactly how much he changes the way Ohio State does business.
He is expected to free up Day to work more as a program CEO without the burden of game planning and working closely with the coaches, though Day will no doubt be involved in both as time allows.
Kelly might not mess with Day’s vaunted passing game much, but he is expected to overhaul the running game. He has already returned Woody Hayes’ beloved T formation to the playbook for short-yardage situations.
Locklyn was hired late in the spring after longtime OSU assistant Tony Alford surprisingly left for Michigan.
Hartline is regarded as one of the best in the nation both at coaching and recruiting receivers. He still has the title “co-offensive coordinator,” but he appears to be taking a backseat to Kelly in that role after it was believed he could become the play-caller last season but never did.
Bailey is also considered a strong recruiter of multiple positions. He helped develop Cade Stover into one of the best pass-catching tight ends in Ohio State history last season, but the group overall struggled with blocking at the point of attack.
Frye inherited a group that was lacking upside as far as talent, especially in the younger classes, and so far his efforts to restock the cabinet have been incomplete. The on-field product has also left some things to be desired, but a mostly new group improved last season as the campaign unfolded.
Knowles was hired to much fanfare in the winter of 2022, and he has unquestionably improved the defense overall. The Buckeyes led the nation in pass defense last season and finished second in scoring defense, but the run defense declined late in the year as injuries took their toll.
His main challenge this season is to figure out how to best utilize a large group of veterans whose athleticism and knowledge of the defense should give him almost limitless options.
Walton has proven to be a shrewd hire as the Ohio State alumnus has developed the players in his room and stocked it with highly-rated recruits.
Guerrieri is a long-time Knowles protege whose intricate knowledge of the defense should help him be able to utilize the safeties in multiple ways.
Laurinaitis is in his first season as the full-time linebackers coach, though the former OSU great worked heavily with the group last season. He has a big job this season in developing former five-star prospects C.J. Hicks and Sonny Styles, who are vying for the open spot at “Will” linebacker but could also play together if Ohio State uses more 4-3 looks.
Johnson’s dual role this season is to get the best out of four seniors with extensive experience (Jack Sawyer, J.T. Tuimoloau, Ty Hamilton and Tyleik Williams) while developing depth, especially inside. The production of this group has waned over the last few seasons, but it is set up to be one of the team’s strengths this fall.
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