The Ohio State football team has its new offensive coordinator heading into next season. After a long wait to find out who the Buckeyes were going to hire, they decided to bring in Arthur Smith as their man. Smith has spent the last two seasons with the Steelers as their offensive coordinator.
With Smith's hiring, Ryan Day now has two former NFL head coaches as his coordinators. How well the Buckeyes can play will be predicated on what kind of offense Smith installs. Smith is usually a run-first guy, but Ohio State's best offensive players are in the passing game.
Now that Smith is in Columbus, the Ohio State Buckeyes have their full coaching staff. What kind of offensive statistics should fans expect heading into next season? Will they still be able to chuck it down the field to Jeremiah Smith? Or is Bo Jackson now the focal point of the offense?
What offensive stats to expect from the Ohio State football team
This past season, the Buckeyes were far from elite offensively. They were the 26th-best total offense in the country. What made them so dangerous was the defense. With Smith calling plays, Jackson and the running game can expect an increase in rushing opportunities.
Ohio State was not even in the top 70 when it came to rushing yards per game, averaging just over 155 yards per contest. Expect that number to go up. Smith is good at scheming up running plays, even for players who aren't just in the backfield. Expect Ohio State to get more creative in that regard.
From a passing game standpoint, Smith will not abandon the pass. He understands that Smith is his best player. Expect Julian Sayin to put up even better numbers than he did a year ago. Another year of development should help both him and Smith be Heisman contenders again.
Ohio State should be a top 10 offense when things are all said and done next year. Smith has called plays before, and that counts for something. Brian Hartline was a first-time play-caller, and it showed. That experience alone should keep the Buckeyes with a powerful offense.