Arthur Smith Has Clearly Changed the Identity of this Ohio State Offense

I opposed hiring Arthur Smith from the start, and I am still quite skeptical as we reach the halfway point of the season. The main takeaway from the offense right now is that without Jeremiah Smith, it would be very average at best.

That's obviously a major "if" because Ohio State doesn't have to live in that reality, and hopefully they never will have to. 

However, one thing that I absolutely love about the approach that this offense has taken to this point in the season is the number of plays that they are getting off. 

The last two years with Brian Hartline calling the plays (alongside Ryan Day), their philosophy was to slow the game down to a snail's pace.

The Buckeyes in 2024 were the 123rd-ranked team in plays per game at 62.8, and then last season they were not much better at 64 plays per game, good for 115th in the country. For what it is worth, there are 137 Division 1 teams, so the Buckeyes were at the bottom. 

I don't disagree with the approach wholeheartedly. I actually loved the experiment, especially since the Buckeyes were planning on playing 16 games a season, not just 12. The rationale was there, and it seemed completely logical, but selfishly, I am more a fan of Arthur Smith's approach.

So far through 6 games in 2026, the Buckeyes are averaging 70.3 plays per game, which is good for 37th in the nation.

That is a significant increase in plays per game that the Buckeyes are trying to run, and I really do love the approach.

My favorite game plan of theirs actually was last weekend's against Maryland. It was very clear that they were challenging quarterback Julian Sayin to find success with people not named Jeremiah Smith. 

Of course, the two times that he touched the football, they exploded into the endzone because why not. Outside of that, the Buckeyes were fairly average at best. They would have done enough to beat Maryland, but let's hope that the Buckeyes don't ever find themselves in a situation without No. 4.

The Buckeyes will have a big challenge on their hands if No. 4 were ever unavailable for a game. That's a problem for another time, as the Buckeyes are doing all of the right things right now on offense and doing it at a quicker and better pace under Arthur Smith.