After the Ohio State Buckeyes’ historic championship run, it was announced that their defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles, would be leaving to take the same position at Penn State. With that change, Ohio State will now be looking to fill the role. There are a few strong candidates who could be in the mix to replace Knowles. Today, we’ll take a look at a couple potential names that could emerge as top contenders for the job.
Matt Guerrieri
Keeping the hire in-house is something fans often appreciate, and with Guerrieri already leading the safeties, this could be a move that resonates well with Buckeye Nation. Guerrieri returned to Ohio State after leaving Indiana, where he had served as co-defensive coordinator. Ryan Day spoke highly of Guerrieri at today’s championship celebration in the Horseshoe, praising him alongside other coaches outside of his staff. When it came to Guerrieri, Day said, “One of the brightest minds in college football, and, I’m telling you, a star in the making.”
Jeff Hafley
Currently the defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, Hafley is no stranger to Ohio State—or to college football in general. With over 20 years of coaching experience, he’s spent time at six different colleges. Most recently, Hafley served as the head coach at Boston College, a position he took in 2019 after leaving Ohio State. While in Columbus, he was co-defensive coordinator, helping lead a defense that ranked first in total yards, yards per game, and yards per play. Hafley is well-acquainted with the Ohio State culture and has proven himself at every level of coaching.
Glenn Schumann
Schumann has been at the University of Georgia for more than half a decade, and during that time, the Bulldog defense has consistently been one of the best in the country. Despite turning down multiple NFL offers to stay at UGA, don’t count Ohio State out of the picture just yet. Schumann’s coaching career began in 2008 as a student assistant at the University of Alabama, where he worked for several years before becoming a graduate assistant. He eventually left the Crimson Tide for a position at Georgia, where he’s remained ever since.
Luke Fickell
A name familiar to many Buckeye fans—and well-known across the state of Ohio—Fickell is currently the head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers. Last season, Wisconsin finished 5-7 and missed out on a bowl game. Before taking the job in Madison, Fickell led the Cincinnati Bearcats to their best season in program history, going 13-1 in the 2021-22 season, with their only loss coming to Alabama in the College Football Playoff. But before his success at Cincinnati, Fickell’s coaching journey began just a couple hours north, with the Ohio State Buckeyes. He first joined Ohio State as a graduate assistant in 1999 and then spent the majority of his career there from 2002 to 2016. Over those years, he held several roles, including linebackers coach, co-defensive coordinator, and even interim head coach during the 2011 season. With his current tenure at Wisconsin not going as hoped, this could be an ideal opportunity for Fickell to leave Madison and make his return to his alma mater.
Mike Siravo
If the Buckeyes are considering an NFL option, Siravo is a name to watch. He’s been coaching since 1998, starting as a graduate assistant at Boston College. Over the years, he’s worked with six different teams, including four at the college level. Siravo also spent nine years on the Boston College coaching staff, with one of those years being 2011—the same year Ryan Day was their receivers coach. Siravo has been in the NFL for the past five years and currently serves as the Minnesota Vikings’ inside linebackers coach.
