Ohio State's offense has taken a lot of different shapes even in recent history. Ryan Day is considered one of the best offensive minds in the sport, but he is now bringing in a new primary offensive coordinator for the fifth year in a row. Each change at that position brings something new, but ultimately the performance of the players will determine if this is a group that will accomplish Ohio State's goals in 2026.
The Buckeyes' offense has operated like a high-powered sports car for years now, dating back to the Urban Meyer era. Over the last two years, they've been driving, taking the car out on the freeway and driving the speed limit throughout the regular season with the idea that when needed they can push the pedal down. In 2024 they put the pedal to the floor and dusted everyone in their path on the way to the national championship. In 2025, there were some deficiencies under the hood that did not allow them to hit full speed. Is it fixable?
After facing little adversity throughout the 2025 season, the offense really struggled in its final two games of last season against Indiana and Miami. Quarterback Julian Sayin, who was extremely poised and accurate over the first 12 games, looked lost at times in the final two. Not all of that is his fault, as the offensive linemen really struggled against the best defensive lines in the country.
Four of five starters from last season are back. Carson Hinzman has three and a half years of starting experience at center. Luke Montgomery and Austin Siereveld were the starting guards during the national championship run, and they are back in those roles. It should be the best interior line in the country.
The tackles are more of a question. Phillip Daniels got off to a strong start at right tackle a year ago, but he struggled down the stretch. There was so much pressure off the right side that it seemed like Sayin was anticipating it at times.
The good news for Daniels is that he will have a much easier job this season playing next to Austin Siereveld as opposed to Tegra Tshabola. The left tackle will be a first-year starter in Ian Moore. Moore has taken this job emphatically with his performance in fall camp. If Ohio State gets consistent play at the tackle position, they should be in contention for the Joe Moore Award.
The use of the tight ends should be where Arthur Smith makes his biggest impact on the offense. Ohio State used multiple tight ends way more in 2025 than they had in previous years, while the Pittsburgh Steelers led the NFL in 13 personnel usage under Smith last season. They have four tight ends who are going to play; the issue is that there isn't much diversity in skill set.
Bennett Christian is mainly a blocking threat, as he had just five catches last season. Hunter Welcing and Mason Williams were starting tight ends last season at Northwestern and Ohio, respectively, but each had fewer than 300 receiving yards. Nate Roberts will be the key to Ohio State's tight end room. He played mostly at fullback last season as a true freshman in a stronger tight end room. If he can develop into a receiving threat, Ohio State will be able to use its tight ends as a weapon.
The running back room will be a two-man show, just like the Buckeyes like it. Bo Jackson and Isaiah West both got significant playing time as freshmen, with Jackson becoming the sixth freshman to rush for 1,000 yards. Both of those guys came off of significant injuries in their senior year of high school, and I would expect them to both look stronger and more explosive after a full year in the program.
This could be the weakest Ohio State wide receiver room since 2019, and it could also still be the best in the country. When the standard is having multiple first-round picks at once, having just one with any experience is a step back. I could easily argue that just having Jeremiah Smith in your room makes you the best in America.
Brandon Innis will be a starter as well, and transfers Devin McCuin and Kyle Parker will get playing time in certain spots. The big question is how much will freshmen Brock Boyd and Chris Henry Jr. see the field? Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Carnell Tate all got playing time as freshmen and got more time as the season went on. You could see an entirely different receiver rotation against Texas than you see in the first playoff game.
This is a big year for Julian Sayin. He is a returning Heisman finalist and a team captain of the number one team in America and the National Championship favorite. In October of last season, he looked like a future NFL star.
In December, he looked completely overwhelmed by the two best defenses he faced. Carnell Tate is gone, and for as big as the Chris Henry Jr. hype is, he won't be as good as Carnell Tate as a freshman. Ohio State has six ranked opponents on their schedule.
Julian Sayin needs to be a big reason why they win those games and win games in January. The sophomore, Tavien St. Clair, is waiting behind him. St. Clair won't wait around for another year. Sayin needs to put himself at the top of NFL draft boards, or there will be a quarterback controversy at this time next season.
Ohio State has two of the best offensive minds in college football. They have a Heisman finalist at quarterback, an experienced offensive line, and the best player in the country. They have five-star players of all ages. While the offense will take a different shape in 2026, everything is there for it to be the best in America.
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