Ohio State is expected to name Arthur Smith its next offensive coordinator, continuing Ryan Day’s recent strategy of blending elite college talent with NFL coaching experience. Smith, the former Atlanta Falcons head coach, spent the last two seasons running the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense and will replace Brian Hartline, who left Columbus to take the head coaching job at South Florida.
Smith inherits an Ohio State offense that has been among the most efficient and explosive units in college football. Under Day, the Buckeyes have consistently operated at a high level, and the program is coming off a stretch that included a national championship in 2024 with Chip Kelly calling plays. Kelly’s return to the NFL created another opening, making Smith the second former NFL head coach to run Ohio State’s offense in the past three seasons.
Buckeyes Look to Arthur Smith to Revitalize Offense Despite College Coaching Hiatus
The Buckeyes’ 2025 campaign ended with mixed results. Ohio State spent time as the nation’s top-ranked team before falling to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game. After earning a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff, the Buckeyes were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Miami, which went on to finish as the national runner-up. Despite that setback, the roster remains loaded, particularly on offense, where Smith will work with quarterback Julian Sayin and standout receiver Jeremiah Smith.
Arthur Smith (NFL)While Smith has not coached in college football in more than a decade, his roots in the collegiate game remain. His last college role came in 2010 as a defensive intern at Ole Miss, following a graduate assistant position at North Carolina, where he also played offensive line from 2001 through 2005. Since then, Smith has built a reputation as an offensive mind in the NFL.
Arthur Smith Brings NFL Experience to Ohio State While Facing College Coaching Transition Challenges
Most of Smith’s professional success came with the Tennessee Titans, where he climbed the coaching ladder from quality control assistant to offensive coordinator under Mike Vrabel, an Ohio State graduate. That work earned him a head coaching opportunity with the Falcons, though his three-year tenure produced a 21–30 record and no playoff appearances. After his dismissal in Atlanta, Smith joined the Steelers as offensive coordinator in 2024.
In Pittsburgh, Smith’s offenses showed modest improvement. The Steelers averaged 22.4 points per game during their first season with a rotating quarterback group of Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. With Aaron Rodgers at quarterback the following year, that average increased to 23.4 points per game. Pittsburgh won the AFC North but suffered a lopsided loss to the Houston Texans in the wild-card round, a defeat that preceded Mike Tomlin’s departure and the hiring of Mike McCarthy as head coach.
Now at Ohio State, Smith faces a different challenge. He must adapt his NFL experience to the college game while sustaining the high expectations of a program built to contend for championships every season.
