Arthur Smith Takes New Position

Arthur Smith is on the move, but not to the NFL this time.

The offensive coordinator for the Steelers is set to transition from the professional league to join Ohio State in the same role, as several reports indicate.

In light of this, Mike McCarthy, who recently agreed to be the new head coach for the Steelers, will now need to search for a significant assistant coach before the offseason wraps up.

Smith had previously pursued the offensive coordinator position with the Chargers before it seemed Mike McDaniel was the frontrunner for that role. He was also reportedly in talks with the Titans about possibly joining Robert Saleh’s coaching staff, having served as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator under Mike Vrabel during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

Now it looks like Smith is heading to the Big Ten to work alongside Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day.

Interestingly, Smith has a bit of collegiate experience, having spent one season as a graduate assistant at the University of North Carolina in 2006 and another as a defensive quality control coach at Ole Miss in 2010.

During his second year with the Steelers, the team managed to rank 15th in the NFL for points per game at 23.4, but fell to 25th in terms of yards per game, averaging 305.6.

Aaron Rodgers had a notable season, throwing 24 touchdown passes, achieving a completion percentage of 65.7, and accumulating 3,322 passing yards, which many view as a significant contribution in what’s likely to be his only season with the Steelers.

However, the Steelers faced a setback in the wild card round of the playoffs, going up against a formidable Texans defense. They ended up losing 30-6, which, I think it’s safe to say, was disappointing for the team.

Before joining the Steelers, Smith was the head coach for the Falcons for three seasons, notably with a consistent 7-10 record each year. However, his offense in Atlanta never ranked higher than 15th in scoring over a full season, which is, I suppose, not ideal.

With this change, Smith will be taking over from Brian Hartline, who left Ohio State to take on the head coaching role at the University of South Florida.

Interestingly, there were rumors last year that the University of North Carolina might actually consider Smith for its head coaching position before opting for Bill Belichick instead. It’s curious how quickly things change in the coaching world.