Ryan Day was still waiting on the final word in the Arthur Smith sweepstakes, but the reviews about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive coordinator were already floating. The loudest endorsement came straight from Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. A Michigan alum stepped in to back it up with stats.

“I like his flexibility,” Rodgers said in an interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune–Review back in August 2025. “Arthur is not rigid in what he’s doing. He wants to tailor the scheme to the personnel that he’s got. We’re trying to find what guys do best and implement that into the offense. I love that about Arthur, so we’re going to keep doing that.”

The Steelers leaned hard into multi–TE sets last season, topping the NFL in usage. They doubled down by bringing in Jonnu Smith to join Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, and Connor Heyward up front. Arthur Smith even toyed with a wild four–TE look during camp, lining Smith up in the backfield.

For the Buckeyes, that flexibility is crucial in a time that is defined by constant roster turnover. Rather than forcing players into predefined roles, Arthur Smith would build the offense around what Ohio State’s quarterback, receivers, and backs do best. It will allow the scheme to evolve week after week.

Under Arthur Smith in 2024, Pittsburgh took noticeable steps forward, improving its total offense, rushing output, and scoring. The Steelers finished 11th in the NFL in rushing at 127.4 yards per game, then doubled down on the offensive overhaul by landing Rodgers before the 2025 season. 

Since 2019, Smith has been an NFL decision-maker, calling plays as either a head coach or an offensive coordinator. He has seen the highs and endured the lows, earning league-wide respect along the way. That kind of experience gives Day a steady hand he can trust in pressure situations and a chance to tone down the workload.

With Arthur Smith calling the shots, Tennessee punched its ticket to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. An upset of Tom Brady’s Patriots in his New England finale is a key highlight from his tenure with the Titans. Smith’s offensive resume has earned admirers across the sport. Now, even Ohio State’s archrivals, the Michigan Wolverines alumni, weighed in to detail the coach’s impact.

Michigan alum brings in statistical proof of Arthur Smith’s power

At Ohio State, Arthur Smith will step in for ex-OC Brian Hartline and take the reins of a loaded Buckeyes offense. The unit will be run by Heisman finalist quarterback Julian Sayin and All-American wideout Jeremiah Smith.

Julian Sayin put together a monster season, completing 77 percent of his throws for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just eight picks. With stats so strong, Taylor Lewan’s comments about Arthur Smith should serve as a major boost for the quarterback, as he reminisced about the 2019 AFC Championship win.

“Arthur Smith is the reason why we made it to the 2019 AFC Championship Game,” said Taylor Lewan in 2024. “He’s gonna walk in there and take pressure off whoever the quarterback is going to be.“

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So, the quarterbacks under the coach win more games because he leverages player strengths and hides weaknesses. The upside of landing Arthur Smith goes beyond play-calling. With FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith as his dad, Ohio State could see a major boost in its NIL operations.

Ryan Day took a big swing, landing Smith, beating four NFL giants, and now it’s all down to whether that bold move pays off.