First-year Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has many fans worried about what the offense will look like during the 2026 season. While receivers may not have the same explosive stats, certain offensive skill positions will greatly benefit from Smith's play-calling.
When it comes to the tight end position, Smith will be joining a strong tight ends coach in Keenan Bailey, who's helped send Cade Stover and, soon enough, Max Klare, to the NFL. The Columbus Dispatch's Joey Kaufman believes Hunter Welcing, the latest upperclassman transfer at the position to join the fold, could greatly benefit from playing in Smith's system.
Kaufman called Welcing Ohio State's third-most important transfer from the January portal window and said Smith's arrival makes the Lake Zurich, Illinois, native an "even more important fit" in Cbus this upcoming season.
"A late bloomer at Northwestern who had only one career reception before last season, Welcing broke out in 2025 with 28 catches for 296 yards and two touchdowns and was named an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection. The NCAA’s approval of a waiver gave him a seventh year of eligibility. He’s a smooth route-runner for a tight end who should take over for Klare as Ohio State’s top receiving threat at the position. The hiring of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who has at times leaned on heavier personnel packages, makes Welcing an even more important fit," Kaufman wrote.
Ohio State's offense will undoubtedly look different under Arthur Smith
Brian Hartline was essentially a receiver whisperer, on the recruiting trail, in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, and on the field during gamedays. It's unclear if the Buckeyes will ever have that level of success on the outside ever again, especially in 2026, when there are mostly unproven receivers in the room behind Jeremiah Smith.
That doesn't mean Ohio State won't win slower, drag-'em-out fights without Hartline. It just means that the run game will be more of a focus to set up more strategic airstrikes from quarterback Julian Sayin.
Smith will bring a different look to the offense. Will it bring different results?
The hope is that it will when the games matter most.