Matt Patricia's shoe game will be unmatched next season.
The Ohio State defensive coordinator showed off custom sneakers he received from Nate O’Neill before last year's Big Ten Championship Game. Patricia, who agreed to a new contract entering the 2026 season, wrote in an Instagram post that he's excited to wear them during his second year with the Buckeyes.
Patricia’s sneakers are Nike Air Force 1s. Using an all-white base, O’Neill customized the shoes with black detailing and scarlet and gray accents. He also added an image of Matt Patricia above the Nike logo. The illustration shows Patricia wearing a backwards hat — a look he often sported during his NFL career — along with his trademark pencil tucked behind his ear.
"Can’t wait to bust them out in season two at the Shoe!" Patricia wrote.
Patricia will have a new core to mold this fall, with eight starters departing from Ohio State’s defense. Still, the four Buckeyes at the NFL Combine on Wednesday — Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese, Kayden McDonald and Caden Curry — said they believe Patricia can coordinate a national championship-caliber unit for the second straight season.
“Coach Patricia is one of the best defense coordinators in college football, in my opinion,” Curry said. “He's just a guy that everybody wants to play for. He's a players’ coach. We all love him, and I hope he stays at Ohio State a long time because he's a great guy.”
