Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Arthur Smith may have been on the job for less than a full season, but he is already facing one of the toughest questions. How does he keep star wideout Jeremiah Smith heavily involved without making the offense totally predictable? Ahead of Ohio State’s showdown with Texas on Saturday, that question is getting louder. Former Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer thinks he already saw both the promise and the danger in how Ohio State used Smith during their Week 1 victory over Ball State.

Meyer broke down the tape on The Triple Option podcast, where he pointed to Ohio State’s two-minute drill at the end of the first half as proof of their aggressive approach with their star wideout.

“Mark, two-minute drill at the end of the first half, they threw the ball five times to Jeremiah Smith, even when they shouldn’t have thrown to him,” Meyer told his co-host, ex-NFL star and three-time Pro Bowler, Mark Ingram II, on The Triple Option Podcast on September 7. “For example, it was like cover two, and they sat in a hole. If it was Texas, you’re not going to be able to complete that throw. Feed him. And then the last touchdown pass, he threw the ball where you throw it anywhere else except for where he threw it, the touchdown pass to Jeremiah Smith.”

Meyer was highlighting a habit that worked wonders against lower-tier competition. Quarterback Julian Sayin repeatedly forced the ball to Smith, helping him haul in eight catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns before halftime in a 56-3 blowout. But against Texas, throwing into soft spots in coverage will not be so forgiving. That balance between aggression and care is the exact puzzle Arthur Smith must solve this weekend.

This aggressive style reveals how much trust head coach Ryan Day has placed in Arthur Smith during his first year running the Buckeye offense. Speaking on 97.1 The Fan, analyst Jeremy Birmingham noted that Day has given Smith full freedom to operate, aiming for a perfectly balanced attack that runs as heavily as it passes.

“Seeing the way he lit up talking about Arthur Smith and the way that he’s enjoyed working alongside Arthur Smith, that was reiterated today when he was asked straight out of the gate by Dave Biddle of Bucknuts, he said, ‘ What’s Arthur Smith’s influence?” Birmingham said, per an X post from 97.1 The Fan.

“‘Give me 250 a ground game. Give me 250 passes.’ That’s not a realistic goal for a team that’s going to be trying to play 65 snaps. It’s probably 200-200 for this team. But that gives you some insight into what Ryan Day thinks this offense is going to be,” he added.

Arthur Smith’s background in building strong run games fits Ryan Day’s vision of a balanced offense. With Sayin under center, Jeremiah Smith leading the receiving room, dynamic young running backs like Bo Jackson in the backfield, and four veteran offensive line starters returning, the Buckeyes have more than enough playmakers to keep defenses guessing.

That balance will be tested directly by Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, whose defense is specifically preparing to double-team Smith and force Sayin to look elsewhere. If Texas takes away the easy throws, Arthur Smith will have to show he can adjust his play-calling on the fly rather than relying on his star receiver to win contested balls.

The matchup with Texas becomes the test for the challenge, with Steve Sarkisian planning on building a defense to make Smith’s play difficult. However, Jeremiah Smith has been looking forward to showing his Heisman-caliber game in the Texas matchup after his standout first half against the Cardinals in Week 1.

Jeremiah Smith sees a different level under Arthur Smith

Smith expressed his confidence in playing under new OC Arthur Smith and in a new scheme where everyone gets to have the ball, as the coordinator pays attention to the details of each player.

“We just got a lot of different things that we do in this offense with Coach Smith,” Smith said, according to an X post from FOX College Football on August 27. “He found ways to get his guys the ball, and it’s all about the little things with Coach Smith. He got plays on plays, and you’re going to see a whole different offense this year than last year for sure.”

This is the version of the Buckeyes that Texas will see this Saturday, with an offense built to throw the ball to its best player, regardless of coverage, as the coordinator has already earned the trust of Ryan Day.