Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West will be seen and heard from during the 2026 College Football season. New OSU offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's offense is tailor-made to make sure Bo Jackson has opportunities to be a star. There's something in it for West, too, though.
Land-Grant Holy Land's Michael Citro believes Smith's presence in Columbus will be "good news" for the No. 9-ranked player in the state of Pennsylvania and No. 21 running back nationally this coming fall.
"The NFL and college football are not analogous in many ways, because they typically have a different average number of possessions per game and there is not as much top-to-bottom parity in college," Citro prefaced before saying, "Getting back to Jackson, what we know is that Smith likes to feature his starting running back, and history shows that outside of when he had Henry, in most seasons he likes to give the backup enough carries to keep the starter fresh."
"That’s good news for Isaiah West. Jackson, for his part, will look to build upon his strong freshman campaign, and will likely put on some added muscle ahead of the 2026 season, helping with durability, stamina, and the ability to break tackles that turn short gains into medium ones and medium gains into explosive plays."
Ohio State's running back duo can wear down defenses to set up Julian Sayin
Smith's grind-em-down offensive strategy will be beneficial for Jackson and West. It may also set up Julian Sayin to be more efficient than ever, which could set up "a significant leap" for the 2025 Heisman candidate.
"Ryan Day's decision to hire former NFL coach Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator has drawn mixed reviews, much of which is tied to Smith's results at the professional level. The college game presents a different equation, however, particularly when elite programs can overwhelm opponents with superior talent. That setting could allow Smith to thrive," CBS Sports' Brad Crawford wrote.
"At Ohio State, Smith is expected to employ a streamlined, run-oriented approach while creating calculated downfield opportunities for Jeremiah Smith and others. Quarterback Julian Sayin ranked among the nation's most efficient passers as a redshirt freshman, and a significant leap is anticipated from the Heisman hopeful."
If the offensive line holds up, which it should, since depth is being added and not much is being subtracted besides right guard Tegra Tshbola, then there's every reason to think that OSU can once again be dangerous offensively.
We'll see how Smith adjusts to his personnel. He's never run an offense entirely made up of teenagers and guys in their early 20s. There will be an adjustment period from having Aaron Rodgers running the show with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Sayin looking to continue developing into an NFL product.
Can Smith develop talent? That question will be put to the test soon, with Jackson and West being his best chances to prove himself.