The Ohio State Buckeyes wrapped up portal season with 16 newcomers and 32 player exits. Ryan Day’s big win did not come in the transfer portal but through the coaching roster. The OSU head coach navigated a coaching gap after Brian Hartline left, and just over a month later, Day hit the jackpot by taking in Arthur Smith, who was on the radar of four NFL franchises. 

“Sources: #Steelers OC Arthur Smith is expected to become the next offensive coordinator at Ohio State,” reported NFL Network analyst Ian Rapoport.

It was a long search for Day. South Florida Bulls signed Hartline as the head coach on December 3, 2025. After 52 days of hard work, the big moment finally came.

The former Atlanta Falcons head coach emerged as the front-runner to replace Hartline. But the chase has not been easy for Day and Co. Smith confirmed in an interview that the Tennessee Titans had reached out to interview him for their head coach opening on January 8. However, he did not entertain the offer.

“That’s not something I’m going to focus on because the only thing that matters is my current job,” Smith said in a press conference afterwards. “It’s like trying to tell people all the time, I’m living the present. If you have perspective, you have life experiences; you’re wasting time worrying about the future if you deal with that. Anything like that’s a distraction.”

Smith’s ties to Tennessee run deep. He spent nearly a decade on the Titans’ staff from 2011 to 2020, highlighted by a dynamic two-year run as offensive coordinator. In that stretch, the Titans rolled out one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses. Smith’s contribution helped spark Ryan Tannehill’s Comeback Player of the Year season and immediately attracted head-coaching conversation for himself.

Day’s newest coaching addition parlayed his Titans success into Atlanta’s head job, only to spend three seasons searching for stability at quarterback. With Matt Ryan’s exit followed by Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder, and Taylor Heinicke, the Falcons never found a long-term answer, finishing 21-30.

But Day did not allow Tennessee to scare Ohio State in any way. He counted on the former North Carolina offensive lineman, who had three stints in college football. Smith began his coaching journey as a graduate assistant for North Carolina (2006), as a defensive quality control coach at the Washington Redskins (2007-2008), and as an administrative assistant at Ole Miss (2010).

Tennessee was just one of four NFL giants that Day had to beat. Who are the rest?

Ryan Day faced tough competition from the NFL

Smith was interviewed for offensive coordinator roles with the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Chargers. The Arizona Cardinals also interviewed Day’s target for its head coaching opening. But he was never viewed as a leading candidate.

The Lions wasted no time, cutting ties with offensive coordinator John Morton two days after the season. They started looking for run-game specialists with outside experience. Smith checks that box, having coordinated Tennessee’s bruising ground attack in 2019-20.

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Day had Smith as the hottest candidate in his mind. That’s because, other than bringing his 17 years of NFL experience, Ohio State might benefit from the coach’s connections on the NIL front. His dad, Frederick W. Smith, is the founder of FedEx and is worth $10 billion.

Ryan Day recently doubled down on NFL experience again, adding Anthony Schlegel to Ohio State’s strength and conditioning staff. He is a longtime Ohio State coach with experience in Jacksonville. But the Arthur Smith chase is worth remembering.