Ohio State Hires Former NFL Coach As Next Offensive Coordinator

After over a month of waiting for the Ohio State Buckeyes to make a decision on who would be their new offensive coordinator, the news has finally come in.

NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Buckeyes are expected to name Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to the same position. This is on the heels of Ohio State's former offensive coordinator Brian Hartline taking the USF head coach job and the Steelers naming Mike McCarthy as their new head coach.

Smith has been a longtime coach in the NFL, having previously served as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2021 through 2023 before joining the Steelers. He also was a long-time assistant for the Tennessee Titans, but has not coached at the college level since 2010 when he was a defensive intern/administrative assistant at Ole Miss.

Buckeyes are bringing in Arthur Smith as the new offensive coordinator

This is a big-time move for the Buckeyes as they once again bring in a former long-time NFL coach to join the college ranks. Ohio State's defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia, was also a former NFL head coach and a longtime assistant. Having Patricia on staff has worked out so far, as the Buckeyes ranked in the top two in college football defense in 2025.

Smith inherits a strong offense expected to make big strides in 2026. He will have to help develop now-second-year starting quarterback Julian Sayin, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist as a freshman in 2025.

The weapons the Buckeyes will have offensively are scary to think about as well, with Smith having everything he needs to dominate. He will have one of the top receivers in the nation in Jeremiah Smith in his junior year and, potentially, his final season in college, and running back Bo Jackson entering his sophomore year after rushing for over 1,000 yards.

Smith will have some work to do on the offensive line as his biggest project going into the 2026 season. The offensive line went through some movement and changes that made play inconsistent with run blocking throughout the year.

This feels like a homerun for the Buckeyes after over a month of speculation about whether someone like Chip Kelly would get the job before Northwestern came up, or if someone within the coaching staff would get promoted. Now, with an experienced play caller with a resume of success running offenses in the NFL, it's exactly what Ohio State needs to make the leap back to the national title.