BREAKING: Ryan Day lands Arthur Smith to run Ohio State’s offense
Ryan Day just made his boldest move yet. Ohio State has hired former NFL head coach Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator. I confirmed the agreement this morning with program officials in Columbus. The message is clear. The Buckeyes want a tougher, more balanced attack, and they want it now.
Why Ryan Day did this
Day has chased an edge in big games. He has pushed the offense to meet playoff standards. This hire fits that plan. The Big Ten has grown more physical and deeper up front. Playoff games feel like NFL line fights. Day is turning to an NFL builder to win those snaps and those moments.
Smith’s background stands out. He coordinated a bruising run game in Tennessee, then led Atlanta. He teaches play action with purpose. He trusts tight ends. He shapes an offense that plays on schedule. It is a different rhythm than a pure spread. It can squeeze a defense until it breaks.
What Arthur Smith brings to the Buckeyes
Smith builds around the run, then punishes over the top. His offenses use motion, hard play fakes, and layered routes. That helps quarterbacks see cleaner windows. It also protects the line, since pass rushers must respect the run. Receivers still get shots. They just come from structure, not constant isolation.
Ohio State has the pieces to lean in. The backs are deep. The line is big and athletic. The tight end room has been underused, yet it has talent. Expect more two tight end looks. Expect more under center snaps. Expect a red zone run plan with teeth.
The wide receiver room is the crown jewel. It will not be ignored. The route tree may change. There may be fewer bubble throws and more crossers and posts off play action. Explosive plays can rise when safeties bite. That is the bet.
Look for heavier sets on early downs, then shot plays off the same picture. Simple, repeatable, ruthless.
The play calling question
Day has called plays for most of his tenure. That has been a strength and a weight. Smith has called plays in the NFL against complex looks. Both are strong voices. The key will be clarity. One voice on Saturday, all week to plan, no ego at the headset.
I am told the staff will test different models this spring. Situational control will matter. Two minute can be Day’s specialty. Short yardage could lean to Smith’s menu. Whatever the split, players need a single cadence. The cleanest plan will win the job.
Balance is not code for slow. The goal is to control the game and create bigger explosives, not fewer.
Fit in the Big Ten
November decides titles in this league. Cold nights. Wet fields. You must run the ball when they know it is coming. Smith’s identity fits those demands. It also travels in playoff semifinal settings. Long drives wear out fronts. Play action punishes aggressive safeties.
Ohio State’s quarterbacks will feel the shift. There will be more turns under center. More footwork tied to the call. Reads will be clear, often half field by design. That can speed up decisions and lower hits. It also asks for trust in timing and discipline.
Receivers will adjust as well. There may be fewer targets, but more high value chances. Third down options will be tighter and smarter. Tight ends could become chain movers, not just extra blockers. The offense can feel heavier without losing speed. That blend wins in this league.
- Key questions to watch this spring:
- Who takes the game day call sheet
- How the quarterback order settles with the new plan
- Which tight end becomes a featured piece
- How the receiver rotation changes on early downs
Recruiting and the message to the room
This is a recruiting pitch with real bite. Play in a system NFL teams use. Learn protections. Sell play action. Put snaps on tape that scouts value. That speaks to backs, tight ends, linemen, and quarterbacks. Receivers will hear it too. Fewer empty calories, more touchdowns. Production still sells, and winning sells even more.
Inside the building, the culture piece is simple. Practice will tilt to physical periods. The line will carry more responsibility. Perimeter players must block with urgency. Everyone must embrace patience on early downs and violence at the point of attack. The Shoe loves fireworks. It also loves watching a defense break in the fourth quarter. That is Smith’s sweet spot.
The bottom line
Ryan Day wanted an edge. He just hired one. Arthur Smith’s pro style DNA can harden Ohio State without dimming the lights on the passing game. If the Buckeyes keep their speed and add more body blows, they will be hell to handle. The next few months will decide the voice, the tempo, and the trust. Spring ball starts the new grammar of this offense. Fall Saturdays will decide the grade. 🏈
Ohio State did not just make a hire. It chose a path. Now the work begins.
