Ryan Day Stresses Importance Behind Hiring Veteran Play-Caller Arthur Smith

Ohio State's Ryan Day stuck with his trend of hiring a former NFL coach by adding Smith.

Jul 25, 2025; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith participates in drills at training camp at Saint Vincent College. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator job was one of the most intriguing openings in all of college football, arguably in all of football based on their recent success.

Their reason for recent success can surely be attributed to their coaching staff over the past few seasons. Although, having a group of offensive players that tend to be amongst the best in the nation is a major reason for their sustained success, which made their offensive coordinator vacancy a must-have for those who sought a change of scenery.

The Buckeyes ultimately followed their trend of hiring veteran play-callers with the recent acquisition of Arthur Smith, who spent last season as the offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Smith had been coaching in the NFL for 15 years before his recent transition back to the college level.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day made it clear his focus was on hiring a coordinator with extensive experience—like Chip Kelly in 2024 and current defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, a former NFL head coach.

In a conversation on The Ryan Day Show, Day discussed what makes hiring Arthur Smith so valuable to him and the program heading into 2026.

“(Smith) will bring immediate value to our program and was exactly what we were looking for as we set out to find our next offensive coordinator,” Day shared.

During Ohio State’s news release, Ryan Day welcomed Arthur Smith to the program by saying, “Smith’s track record in the NFL—experience as a coordinator, play-caller, and head coach—checked every box during the search. He’ll do a great job helping our players reach their potential on the field while also connecting with them as people.”

What Ryan Day said about Arthur Smith:

Ryan Day believes Arthur Smith is the right fit to lead Ohio State’s offense, saying, “I think we hit a home run here when you look at all the different things. It’s easy to see when you talk to people who know football.” “I just felt like going into this season in particular, we needed somebody with play-calling experience who could take over the room and allow me to step back,” Day shared.

Ohio State fans may be familiar with Smith’s name during his time in the NFL, in which he led the Tennessee Titans to two winning seasons in 2019 and 2020 before inheriting a very mediocre Atlanta Falcons team from 2021-2023. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers hired Smith as their offensive coordinator prior to the 2024 season, in which Smith would go on to help the Steelers post back-to-back ten-win seasons, making the playoffs in each of those seasons as well. 

The experience that Ryan Day preferred leading into their search for their next offensive coordinator was the deciding factor in adding Smith to their coaching staff, and it appears Day has the utmost respect and confidence in Smith leading his offense based on his track record.

With the Buckeyes extremely active in the transfer portal—adding ample offensive and defensive talent to bolster their 2026 roster—Ohio State now has two former NFL head coaches hand selected by Ryan Day to guide his young players while developing them into well-rounded athletes.