Can Arthur Smith Make the Buckeyes Offense Elite Next Year?

The discourse around Arthur Smith as the Buckeyes' offensive coordinator is picking up steam. More and more people are very excited about what Smith is bringing to the table and how the Buckeyes are responding to it. 

Linebacker Christian Alliegro spoke highly of the offense during yesterday's media availability, Isaiah West said that he brings "structure" to the Buckeyes, and Bennett Christian waxed poetically about his new coach.

All of them are saying that he is transforming the Buckeyes' offense, which will make this group elite next year. However, his past tells a different story.

First of all, Smith has never called plays for a college team before, and second, his offenses have never really been that good. 

When he was in Atlanta, his offenses were below average, and prior to his final year in Tennessee, when he had Derrick Henry and AJ Brown, his offenses were average. 

Now, he comes to Ohio State with visions of continuing the Buckeyes offensive prowess. 

The positive part is that this is pretty much the exact conversation that was had last year about Matt Patricia, and we all remember what happened there. The Buckeyes' defense was incredible, and no one could do anything against them.

It is going to be a little bit different for the Buckeyes offense next year because, outside of Jeremiah Smith, there are a lot of positions that have a lot to prove. 

Arthur Smith certainly has his work cut out for him, but he does have the benefit of a very good quarterback and, of course, Smith. 

He isn't going to have a running back of the caliber of Derrick Henry; that person doesn't exist. But he does have a duo of reliable backs and a freshman waiting in the wings to be really good. 

The Buckeyes are going to have one week to sort through the kinks in the offense before everything has to be operating like a well-oiled machine. When Ohio State travels down to Austin, Texas, they are going to have to be ready to go.

To beat the Longhorns, they are going to need to be almost perfect. The Longhorns are one of the most talented and most veteran teams in the SEC, and the Buckeyes get the opportunity to knock them down early in the season.

Buckeye Nation is bought into the idea of Arthur Smith. I am still very skeptical, but that is no different than last year. Hopefully, and likely, the Buckeyes will again prove me wrong. I certainly will be excited to see just that.