Ryan Day's most controversial hire shines as Buckeyes derail the offseason's most hyped team in the nation

The Buckeyes could be seen even from the broadcast angle, deploying a variety of zone drops and banking on their athletes to survive in coverage. The pass rush was moderately effective, but the Buckeyes successfully prevented big plays from accumulating. Texas had three completions over 28 yards, but none were beyond 32. Each of those came late in the game.

A key fourth-down stop at the goal line helped turn the tide of the game. Texas found unexpected momentum on the ground to start the third quarter, driving down into the five-yard line with relative ease. But Eddrick Houston and the Ohio State defensive line dug deep after losing the edges on prior big runs. Stuffing Arch Manning on a QB sneak didn't suddenly spur the Ohio State offense to a huge drive, but it allowed the offense to avoid a pressure-filled moment.

It's slightly concerning that the Buckeyes may not have won the toughness and physicality battle on a few drives, but their speed, playmaking, and ability to morph to the situation with schematic versatility and complexity were a sight to be seen. Patricia might've been at risk of being overly detailed in his play designs and calls coming from the NFL, but he proved adaptable and capable as a teacher.

Hitting the ground with an elite showing in Week 1 is an incredible nod to everyone in the building, and it starts with Patricia.

Safeties coach Matt Guerrieri was complimentary of Patricia throughout the offseason. Guerrieri said he's enjoyed learning from Patricia in their brief time together on Ohio State's staff. "Getting to know Matt Patricia has been phenomenal," he said.

Bryce West, a sophomore cornerback, added that Patricia's impact is much more encompassing than what happens on the field.

"The relationship with Coach P is amazing. He’s a great dude. He’s always around the team. He’s around us when we’re lifting," West said. "It’s not always about football (with him). He talks to us about life. He’s always there to help us."

Senior defensive back Lorenzo Styles Jr. said Patricia's presence has been a new experience. He said it's been "refreshing to have a coach who spends a lot of time with his players and really cares about them."

Of course, it's easy to read some of these comments as little jabs at Knowles. Knowles did an excellent job crafting a National Championship-winning defense, but his personality and unwillingness to help in recruiting were relative weaknesses of his short tenure in Columbus.

Hopefully, for the Buckeyes' sake, Patricia will continue to pull the right strings on the field and enhance what Knowles brought off the field.