[jwplayer cslL0ru7-er0jUifI]
Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Greg Mattison will be retiring at the end of January after two-years with the Buckeyes. The news came during a Zoom press conference head football coach Ryan Day had with media members on Friday.
“He’s (Mattison) going to be retiring here after an unbelievable career at the end of the month,” Day told reporters. “He’s a special guy. He and Ann — his wife — have been so gracious to Nina and I in helping us in our first two years as head coach. His career speaks to itself. What he’s done and accomplished on the field, but more importantly, it’s what he’s done off the field. The relationship and respect he has around the country as one of the best coaches, and the impact he’s had on so many people. So I can’t thank him enough. I know he’s gonna really miss it, but he’s gonna have an opportunity to spend some time with his grandkids and his children after an unbelievable career in coaching football.”
Mattison has a long and distinguished career. Though most Buckeye fans will remember him as a Michigan coach that came over to the good guys, he’s had a high level of success — 49 years all told — in high school, the NFL, and college. He was hired to Ohio State by Day and spent both seasons as co-defensive coordinator. He helped quickly improve a defense that struggled in 2018 and make it one of the best in the country in 2019. And at age 71, it is apparently time to hang it up.
With Mattison leaving, it opens up a defensive assistant position with OSU. Day acknowledged that on Friday and said the staff will get to work figuring out where to go with the position.
“We’re working on replacing Greg,” Day said. “It will not be easy. But we’re gonna get to work on that here.”
It’s really anyone’s guess where Day will go with any hire, but it could be a very important one with the defensive culture being questioned after a pretty poor showing in defending the pass this past season. We’ll have more as any news develops.
[listicle id=44557]
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion.
Download the USA TODAY SportsWire app to follow Buckeyes Wire and your other favorite teams in the Apple Store for iPhones and Google Play for Android devices.