Ryan Day continues to add to his Ohio State staff for the 2026 season. The offense is already undergoing a massive change under new OC Arthur Smith, who returns to college ball after more than a decade. To make his job a little easier, Ryan Day has provided him with some help by reuniting him with a long-time NFL assistant.

According to reports, Ohio State has hired Mateo Kambui as the team’s new offensive line assistant. Previously, Kambui was in the same role with the Steelers and also worked with the Falcons. He reported to Smith at both of these stops. In Atlanta, he earned the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. Kambui also had a stint with the Broncos, where he was the Marlin Briscoe Diversity Coaching Fellow.

Like Smith, Kambui has limited experience in college football, having served as Georgia Southern’s graduate assistant for a year. He was also the RBs coach for his alma mater, Florida A&M, for the 2019 season. But by the looks of it, it seems Kambui has done well under Smith, which is why he followed the latter to Columbus.

Ryan Day was able to hire Kambui because of the NCAA’s 2024 rule change. There are now no limits on the number of coaches to provide technical and tactical instructions on game days. Kambui will now work under offensive line coach Tyler Bowen, alongside assistant Charlie Dickey. After fellow assistant Marcus Johnson left for Arkansas to be their O-line coach, a spot opened up for Kambui to come in.

The new O-line assistant has helped develop players like Broderick Jones, Zach Frazier, and Mason McCormick. Ohio State’s pro-style offense will need all the help it can get from coaches who have been in the league, which is exactly what Kambui brings to the table. Handling the Buckeye offense will be a tough job for Arthur Smith, given the level of players it produces each year. With Kambui on the staff, he can find some common ground as both embark on this new chapter together.

Ryan Day is keen on the Ohio State offense under Arthur Smith

Ohio State has a reputation in the NFL. To create the best players in the draft each year, Ryan Day needs the best possible help by his side. With Matt Patricia as defensive coordinator, OSU not only had the best defense in the country, but also created players like Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, and Davison Igbinosun. While the defensive side of the ball is okay for the 2026 season staff-wise, fans can expect the new offensive staff to live up to the hype.

“Well, as time has gone on and things change in college football, I just feel like more and more it’s important to have guys in those coordinator positions that have a tremendous amount of experience,” Ryan Day said about hiring Smith. “He’s a great communicator, very intelligent. He really loves the game of college football. When you hear his story and how much time he’s spent around college football, you can see it in his eyes. He’s had a great first month here. He’s enjoyed the challenge.”

Smith will bring his 17-year long experience in the league to Columbus. He will be responsible for developing a potential NFL icon in Jeremiah Smith, and future stars in Julian Sayin, Chris Henry Jr., and others. The new OC is no doubt experienced, but there shouldn’t be a drop in the OSU offense. After all, Day’s signature is producing electric offenses.

Thankfully, former Patriots head coach and Buckeye icon Mike Vrabel vetted Smith, assuring fans that they can expect quite the fireworks on the field with his offense. With more help from the league in Mateo Kambui, they sure will hope his words ring true for OSU in the 2026 season.