Ohio State has once again raided the NFL ranks for its coaching staff, and the move has drawn a strong reaction from program legend Urban Meyer. Arthur Smith becomes the new OSU offensive coordinator and will be the second NFL coach to join Ryan Day’s staff. With the hot takes flying fast regarding the new hire, Meyer shares his verdict on Smith’s hiring.

Urban Meyer believes the latest hire reflects a fundamental shift in college football’s financial landscape. Meyer states that eliminating the salary pool has made the collegiate hiring process comparable to that of the NFL. 

“They are full-time. They’re no different than the NFL. So I think it’s a great hire,” Urban Meyer stated loud and clear on the January 28th episode of The Triple Option. “The other thing you always had budget limitations on was something called a salary pool. Those don’t exist anymore either. There are no salary pools. 

You just go hire whoever you want. They’re going to find the money and, obviously, a heck of a coach. Now you have two former NFL head coaches on offense and defense at Ohio State. That’s appealing. That’s a hell of a deal… This is all money now. It’s really unbelievable when you think what’s happened in the last five years.”

The financial landscape has been completely reshaped. Meyer recalled his first head coaching contract at Bowling Green in 2001 being worth just $125,000, a stark contrast to today’s market, where, as he notes, schools just go hire whoever they want and find the money. Meyer said Ryan Day outlined his coaching staff plans, using Matt Patricia as a benchmark.

“Coach Day told me a little about which direction he’s going to be headed, without going too far into detail,” stated Meyer. “But I think Ohio State’s jumping all over themselves because they see Matt Patricia as the template to go hire someone. Someone who’s going to focus on the scheme, and Arthur Smith’s got to be one of the best in the business at it.”

Patricia’s hire was an absolute home run for Columbus as the defense transitioned seamlessly after Jim Knowles’ exit. The Patriots veteran coordinator introduced pro schemes into the Buckeye defense that confused most college quarterbacks.

With two NFL coaches on board for the 2026 season, it is pretty clear that Ryan Day wanted Ohio State to be more like an NFL team with a more mature, NFL-style coaching staff. Meyer mentioned that their roles are straightforward and that they don’t need to put much effort into recruiting, which makes the process feel easier for everyone involved. 

Meyer’s endorsement underscores the significance of the hire, which brings a recent NFL head coach and his respected offensive scheme to Columbus

Arthur Smith’s scheme fit with Ryan Day

Smith brings almost no traditional collegiate coaching background. His only prior collegiate experience was being a defensive intern at Ole Miss in 2010. His strategy for quarterback development, tight-end use, and red-zone efficiency, focusing on the run game and tight ends, counters the Buckeyes’ past offensive struggles season. Historically, Smith’s offense had focused on both the run game and tight ends for receptions.

For the 2026 season, Smith is going to have some amazing players at his disposal. There is Heisman finalist Julian Sayin at quarterback and Jeremiah Smith at wide receiver. Smith is also going to exploit the run schemes. After all, he had Derrick Henry run for 2k yards with the Titans. There is sophomore Bo Jackson, who already has a 1,090-yard freshman season under his belt. It won’t come as a surprise if the Buckeyes have 2 running backs with 1k yards next season.

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On the other hand, Ryan Day relies more on the passing game. With a pattern that combines both of their strengths and the return of a veteran group to the roster, it could help the Buckeyes get back into national contention.

It’s worth remembering that Ohio State’s last national championship came when they had a coordinator with Smith’s level of run-game expertise.