Ryan Day, Ohio State lose top assistant coach to NFL after late-season surge
The Ohio State Buckeyes thought offensive line coach Justin Frye was turning the corner as a recruiter and developer worthy of earning a long-term contract on Ryan Day's staff, but the program's incredible College Football Playoff run changed Frye's fate. The Buckeyes already lost defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to Penn State. Now, Frye has departed […]
The Ohio State Buckeyes thought offensive line coach Justin Frye was turning the corner as a recruiter and developer worthy of earning a long-term contract on Ryan Day's staff, but the program's incredible College Football Playoff run changed Frye's fate. The Buckeyes already lost defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to Penn State. Now, Frye has departed to the NFL.
Fyre is reuniting with former Ohio State left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. in Arizona. The Cardinals hired Frye as their new offensive line coach after Klayton Adams left for the Dallas Cowboys.
It wasn't long ago that Frye was in the hot seat. In the wake of losing to Michigan at home where the Buckeyes failed over and over to create any sort of offensive flow behind a makeshift line, Frye was also struggling in the transfer portal market. The writing seemed to be on the wall that Frye would not be retained as his contract expires this weekend.
However, a tremendous recovery in the College Football Playoff revealed several accomplishments on the field and off. Frye and head coach Ryan Day continued tweaking their plans, and the Buckeyes' offense soon became reliant on a much-improved line. Suddenly, it was easier to see the improvement from Donovan Jackson at left tackle and three maligned interior blockers.
Frye also interviewed with the Chicago Bears, but the Cardinals must have beat them to the punch.
The Playoff run was accompanied by impressive transfer additions in the tackle room, Phillip Daniels and Ethan Onianwa. It's hard to say the Buckeyes will be better without the likes of two first-round-caliber tackles in Jackson and Josh Simmons and Remmington Award winner Seth McLaughlin. But the incoming tackles are that good, and the guard play was much improved.
Frye began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Indiana University before moving on to serve as an offensive line coach at Boston College. At Boston College, he helped build a formidable rushing attack, earning recognition for his ability to develop offensive linemen into NFL-caliber players.
He later joined UCLA as the offensive line coach and was promoted to offensive coordinator, where he played a crucial role in shaping the Bruins’ offense under head coach Chip Kelly. His work at UCLA further solidified his reputation as a top-tier offensive mind.
In 2022, Frye took on a new challenge as the offensive line coach and associate head coach at Ohio State. Under his guidance, the Buckeyes' offensive line has remained one of the best in the nation, helping the team compete at the highest level.
