New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was a big-time hire for the Ohio State Buckeyes as they looked to replace Brian Hartline, now the head coach at USF.
Smith is a former NFL head coach (he was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2021 to 2023), and he was also a respected NFL offensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers.
He’s an experienced addition to Ryan Day’s offensive staff and his name alone will be a nice draw on the recruiting trail for the Buckeyes. It’s not like they need much help in that regard, but being coached by a former NFL head coach and offensive coordinator is definitely a big deal.
With that said, due to recruiting restrictions, Smith will not actually be on the road talking to prospects. Programs are limited to 10 recruiters who can actually hit the recruiting trail, and Smith won’t be one of them for OSU.
That’s not going to be a problem, according to head coach Ryan Day, though. He believes that with the way things are set up, with recruits coming to Columbus at a consistent clip, Smith will still get plenty of face time.
“A lot of the recruiting that happens now, especially in June, is actually when folks come on our campus,” Day said on the “Always College Football Podcast” (h/t On3). “So, he’s going to be able to spend a lot of time with our guys. Even this time of year with spring ball, they’ll be on campus and he’ll be able to spend some time with them and do Zoom meetings. But, we’re limited with how many guys can be on the road.”
Arthur Smith will still be a big recruiting presence for Ohio State Buckeyes — just not on the road
Frankly, this has to be a dream scenario for Smith, who spent most of his career in the NFL, where hitting the road and recruiting incoming talent is simply not a thing.
He’ll still need to get in front of recruits because he’s going to be a big-time presence for any offensive recruits Day and the rest of the staff may be targeting. Official visits used to be limited to five. Now, they’re unlimited for recruits, so that’s another reason this setup will work out for both Smith and OSU.
He’ll still be in front of plenty of top targets. He’ll just be doing so from the friendly confines of the Ohio State campus.
