Ohio State football hires Arthur Smith as new OC

Ohio State has been seeking a new offensive coordinator since Brian Hartline left to accept the head coaching position at USF at the end of the 2025 college football season. Ryan Day solved that issue by hiring another NFL assistant, former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Arthur Smith.

Smith has been with the Steelers for the last two years, but was suddenly left unemployed after head coach Mike Tomlin’s resignation. He will now become Day’s new offensive coordinator at Ohio State, coming to terms with the team on Saturday, On3 Sports’ Pete Nakos reported.

Smith has spent four of the last six years as an NFL offensive coordinator. His stint with the Tennessee Titans from 2019 to 2020 led to his hiring as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, after which he joined Tomlin’s staff in Pittsburgh.

With Smith’s hiring, Day now has two former NFL head coaches as his offensive and defensive coordinators. Day hired former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia as his defensive coordinator in 2024.

Smith is also the second former NFL head coach to work as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator in the last three years. Former San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly held the job in 2024, helping coach a National Championship-winning team.

The 43-year-old Smith has spent only two of his first 20 years as a coach in college football. He has not coached at the FBS level since 2010, when he worked as a defensive intern for Ole Miss.

However, Smith was reportedly interested in potentially returning to the NCAA last offseason, when he was briefly linked to the vacant North Carolina head coaching job. Smith, a Tar Heel alum, entertained the idea before shutting it down and confirming his return to the Steelers.

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