When Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day began searching for a new offensive coordinator this offseason following Brian Hartline’s departure, who accepted a position as the head coach at South Florida on Dec. 3, experience quickly became the defining factor.
Day aimed to bring in someone highly experienced with time on either the college or NFL sidelines.
That search ultimately led him to Arthur Smith.
Smith launched his coaching career in 2006 as a graduate assistant at North Carolina, later serving as the defensive quality control coach for the Washington Redskins from 2007-08 and in 2010 took on roles at Ole Miss as a defensive intern and administrative assistant.
He then climbed the coaching ranks with the Tennessee Titans, serving in various roles from 2011-20 including offensive and defensive quality control, offensive line coach, tight ends coach and eventually offensive coordinator. His success in Tennessee ultimately led to NFL head coaching opportunities with the Atlanta Falcons (2021-23) and later the Pittsburgh Steelers (2024-25).
On The Jim Rome Show Tuesday, Day said the decision to hire Smith was aimed at providing the Ohio State offense with a veteran presence capable of running the entire unit.
“As time has gone on, and things change in college football, I feel like more and more it’s important to have guys in those coordinator positions that have a tremendous amount of experience,” Day said.
Day continued, saying that although Smith’s résumé stood out, their initial conversations left an even stronger impression.
“When Brian (Hartline) moved to South Florida, I wanted to bring in somebody with great experience,” Day said. “I first looked to see who has done that at the college level and then who has done that at the NFL level. To have somebody with (Smith’s) résumé, who has actually been a head coach in the NFL — look at what he’s done at Tennessee — and then sit down and talk to the people that have worked with him and then had a chance myself to sit down and talk with him, it was excellent.”
Smith built his reputation as one of the league’s most creative offensive minds during his tenure with the Tennessee Titans, where his offenses were known for physical rushing attacks led by star running back Derrick Henry and an efficient play-action passing scheme. During his two seasons leading the Titans’ offense, Smith’s units ranked in the top 10 in points per game and top 3 in rushing yards per game in Tennessee.
After speaking with people who had worked alongside Smith and meeting with him personally, Day came away convinced he had found the right fit. Smith’s passion for the college game was evident immediately during their conversations as he grew up around the sport.
“He’s a great communicator, very intelligent and really loves the game of college football,” Day said. “When you hear his story about growing up and how much time he spent around college football, you could just see it in his eyes. He’s had a great first month here with our players. He’s enjoyed the challenge. I think it’s been great for him. It’s been almost refreshing to be around these players. I know he’s excited about some of the talent he has.”
Just a month into the job, Smith has already made a strong impression within the Buckeye program.
Day said the transition from the NFL back to the college ranks appears to have energized the new coordinator, similar to defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s experience a year ago.
“He’s had a great first month here with our players,” Day said. “He’s enjoyed the challenge. I think it’s been great for him. It’s almost refreshing to be around these players.”
While Day said Smith has quickly embraced the roster he inherited, he added that the veteran coach is especially excited about the offensive talent, as Ohio State returns eight starters on that side of the ball, including star quarterback and Heisman finalist Julian Sayin and unanimous All-American wide reciever Jeremiah Smith.
With Arthur Smith settling in and the Buckeyes returning a talented group of offensive starters, Day’s decision to hire a veteran coordinator appears to be a move designed not only to stabilize the offense but also to maximize the team’s potential this season.
For Day, the combination of Arthur Smith’s experience and Ohio State’s offensive talent was key, as he wanted a coordinator capable of acting as “the head coach of the offense” and managing the full unit without constant oversight.
“I wanted to make sure that we had somebody in here who not only had experience calling big games, but somebody who can be the head coach of the offense, which will allow me an opportunity to take a different perspective this season,” Day said. “Certainly, it was great to have Matt Patricia on defense and Brian did a great job as well, but I think this year will allow me to step back even more and do as much as I can from the head coaching seat.”
