In order to replace their departing offensive coordinator, Brian Hartline, an Arthur Smith Ohio State hire was completed. Hartline left to be the head coach at South Florida, and the team that averaged 33.4 points p[er game last season needed to fill his shoes. They could have hired from within or looked to another school’s coordinator, but they pulled their guy from the NFL.
Smith most recently served as the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers for the past two years, and his journey there raises questions about his competence in calling offensive plays. His first coordinator gig was with the Tennessee Titans back in 2019. While the Titans finished in the bottom half of the league in passing yards per game both seasons, they were in the top 10 in points and rushing yards, thanks in large part to running back Derrick Henry.
The Atlanta Falcons came calling, in search of their next head coach. Smith did little to impress there, going 21-30 in three seasons with a defense that couldn’t get it going. They scored 18.4 points per game in his first season (26th in the league), 21.5 in year two (15), and 18.9 in year three (26). The passing game there was abysmal, and once again, the run game carried the team.
Even though Smith started off 31st in the league in rushing yards in 2021 (85.4 yards per game), he would be in the top ten the next two seasons (159.9 ypg in 2022 and 127 in 2023). Tyler Allgier was a 1,000-yard rusher in 2022 and part of a two-headed running game in 2023 with Bijan Robinson.
Smith struggled to do anything offensively as the Steelers’ coordinator in 2024 and 2025. His team’s scoring and yards per game were in the bottom half of the league, with his passing game near the bottom, which has been his MO. Smith may be better suited as a running backs coach than an offensive coordinator.
Arthur Smith Ohio State Era Begins
The Buckeyes have good reason to be concerned. While they generally have good running backs, and they did bring in Ja’Kobi Jackson from Florida in the transfer portal, their offense in 2026 is expected to be pass-heavy. This is because their quarterback, Julian Sayin, is considered an early first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
The team also brought in a four-star tight end in Hunter Welcing (28 receptions for 296 yards for Northwestern last year) and three-star receiver Kyle Parker (31 receptions for 330 yards and 4 touchdowns for LSU). These players are supposed to complement and take some pressure off all-world receiver Jeremiah Smith (87 receptions for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, mostly while double-teamed).
With Smith calling the plays in Columbus, will his NFL pedigree give the passing game, which is loaded with weapons, a big boost, or will they regress, with his play-calling favoring Bo Jackson and company? Time will tell, but there’s definitely no guarantee with this signing.
