Report: Ohio State tabs Arthur Smith as next OC

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is finalizing a contract to with Ohio State for the same position, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Smith will succeed Brian Hartline at Ohio State. Hartline left the program to take South Florida's head coaching job.

The news comes after the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy as their new head coach. The franchise reportedly told staff members they were free to seek other jobs after former head coach Mike Tomlin resigned.

Smith was in the running for the Tennessee Titans' head coaching job and the Los Angeles Chargers' offensive coordinator role. However, both teams went in different directions, though the Titans talked to Smith about possibly bringing him back as their offensive coordinator, a position he held from 2019-2020, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Smith's best years as an offensive coordinator came in Tennessee where he led a unit spearheaded by quarterback Ryan Tannehill, running back Derrick Henry, and wide receiver A.J. Brown. The club finished in the top 10 in scoring in each of his two seasons.

The 43-year-old assistant spent the last two years in Pittsburgh, where his unit showed moderate growth, going from averaging 22.4 points per game in 2024 to 23.4 in 2025. He worked with four different quarterbacks in that span with Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, and Mason Rudolph all starting games.

Smith will have Heisman finalist Julian Sayin as his quarterback at Ohio State in addition to star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. The Buckeyes made the College Football Playoff this past season but were eliminated by Miami in the quarterfinals.