The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football Talk

Episode: What will Arthur Smith bring to Ohio State? Discussing the Buckeyes' new OC with Alan Saunders
Air Date: February 6, 2026
Host: Bill Landis
Guest: Alan Saunders (SteelersNow.com)

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into Arthur Smith’s arrival as Ohio State’s new offensive coordinator. Bill Landis welcomes Alan Saunders, who covered Smith during his stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers, to discuss Smith’s coaching style, schematic preferences, reputation, and what Buckeyes fans might expect from the new hire. The conversation also touches on former Ohio State players in the NFL and how Smith might mesh with head coach Ryan Day.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Initial Surprise and NFL Landscape

• Smith's Decision Raises Eyebrows

  • Alan Saunders was surprised by Smith’s move from the NFL to college after being a candidate for NFL head coaching jobs (Eagles, Titans).
  • “To go take a college coordinator position to me was fairly surprising. I don't know if he was concerned he wasn't going to get an NFL coordinator job, but yeah, I was, I was pretty surprised by that.” — Alan Saunders [01:36]

• NFL Reputation

  • Smith was seen as making the most out of a limited Steelers offense; not a schematic revolutionary but respected.
  • “The league kind of looked at the talent level in Pittsburgh and said, this guy's kind of doing a lot with not very much…he's a pretty well regarded coach.” — Alan Saunders [02:54]

2. Smith's Tenure in Pittsburgh

• Organization and Fan View

  • Would have stayed if the Steelers’ head coach hadn’t left; organization likely satisfied. Fan base had typical coordinator frustrations.
  • “Every fan base hits their own offensive coordinator to some level. It is just part of being a football fan, I think.” — Alan Saunders [03:54]

• Offensive Results with Limited Talent

  • Smith elevated the floor for a barebones offense but didn’t make major schematic leaps.
  • “Arthur Smith was a very good floor raiser for the Steelers and they, and they had a low floor.” — Alan Saunders [05:29]

3. Fit at Ohio State & Scheme Considerations

• Better Talent, More Potential

  • Interest in seeing how Smith handles “top of the top…kind of skill talent”—top receivers, QB, experienced line.
  • “I think there's an opportunity there for some real collusion where you can take some of the best parts of both [Smith’s NFL style and Day’s college system] and put them together and make it work really well.” — Alan Saunders [07:24]

• Schematic Zig Against College Trends

  • Smith’s style is an outlier versus modern college defenses focused on defending spread attacks.
  • “When you have the players and then you're also the schematic outlier compared to like what the rest of college football is doing...that itself becomes a challenge.” — Alan Saunders [08:19]

• Tight End Usage and Personnel

  • Smith known for creative and heavy tight end and big personnel usage; parallels with what Ohio State has dabbled in.
  • “He's like the tight end whisperer in terms of like, number of them and usage of them both….The Steelers had Connor Hayward lineup as a, the quarterback, they had Johnny Smith at running back. They used six and seven offensive linemen at times.” — Alan Saunders [10:26]

• Run Game Philosophy

  • Heavy wide zone concepts, “McVay tree-coated,” easy for college linemen to pick up.
  • “I think the big question...do college kids want to play that offense and are you going to get buy in...to run the ball 30 times a game and throw a bunch of play action passes.” — Alan Saunders [10:26]

4. Potential Drawbacks and Criticism

• Personnel Distribution Concerns

  • Smith likes spreading touches deep into the depth chart, sometimes frustrating fans.
  • “He is a believer in like nine, 10 playmakers deep, all getting an opportunity every game…you're like, why is that guy getting the ball?” — Alan Saunders [11:52]
  • Developed favorites (“his guys”), e.g., Jonnu Smith getting snaps over arguably better options.

• Will Stars Get Enough Touches?

  • Discussion about whether standouts like Jeremiah Smith/RB Bo Jackson will be featured or spread too thin.
  • “I don't think you would ever see Arthur Smith really like force touches to a guy the way that I think you see other offensive coordinators do. I just don't think that's how he's wired. Except maybe at running back.” — Alan Saunders [14:23]

5. Personality and Player Relationships

• Relationship-Building Style
  • Not for everyone, but fiercely loyal following among some players; “eccentric,” history buff—references Napoleon in pressers.
  • “The people that like him really like him, but he's not for everyone...He likes history. I don't know how that's gonna play out with 18 year olds.” — Alan Saunders [17:00]

6. Deep Dive: Smith’s Run Game Details

• Primarily Wide Zone, Occasional Mix-Ins
  • Mostly wide zone blocking; gap runs rarely a staple, more a “change up.”
  • “It's something that's in the playbook but it's never going to be something that's a staple. It's just literally a change up.” — Alan Saunders [19:39]
  • Improved at mixing up zone plays over time.

7. Buckeyes in Pittsburgh

• Jack Sawyer’s Rookie Year

  • Surprised by the pick, impressed by production as fourth edge rusher; standout special teamer.
  • “He was really good on special teams...he just brought him up. And so I think that's a pretty big phrase.” — Alan Saunders [21:00]

• Will Howard’s Role and Potential

  • Drafted to be a backup, but new Steelers leadership might see more; physical tools, but NFL future uncertain.
  • “If you just look at the last four games [of his Ohio State tape], you're like, this guy's awesome. If you look a little bit earlier, you're like, oh, there's some problems here.” — Alan Saunders [23:00]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Smith’s NFL standing:
  “He's a pretty well regarded coach. And I was…thought there was an outside chance the Titans were going to hire him as their head coach given his long ties to that organization.” — Alan Saunders [02:54]

• Philosophy on talent vs. scheme:
  “Do I think he was ever going to be, you know, Sean McVay or Kyle Shanahan or put the Steelers in the realm of those teams that are at the very top of the NFL in terms of what they're doing on offense. Schematically, probably not.” — Alan Saunders [05:29]

• Zigging where others zag:
  “When you have the players and then you're also the schematic outlier compared to like what the rest of college football is doing...that itself becomes a challenge.” — Alan Saunders [08:19]

• On spreading the ball:
  “He's a believer in like nine, 10 playmakers deep, all getting an opportunity every game…there's definitely this tendency to try to do a little bit too much in terms of distribution of the, the touches and I, I know that can be frustrating.” — Alan Saunders [11:52]

• On relationships with players:
  “From a personality standpoint, he's definitely not for everyone, but people that get him, really get him...” — Alan Saunders [17:00]

Important Timestamps

• Smith’s surprise move to Ohio State: [01:36]
• NFL- and fanbase perception: [02:54] – [04:37]
• Smith’s schematic leanings and fit at Ohio State: [07:24] – [10:26]
• Personnel usage criticisms: [11:52]
• Wide vs. gap run game: [19:39]
• Buckeyes in Pittsburgh – Sawyer & Howard: [20:45] – [24:41]
• Saunders on Smith’s personality and influence: [17:00]

Conclusion

This episode offers a nuanced, in-depth look at Arthur Smith’s journey from the NFL to college football, focusing on what he brings to the table for Ohio State’s offense. The analysis blends NFL perspective with Buckeye-centric expectations while grounding the discussion in real examples of Smith’s approach to scheme, personnel, and locker room dynamics. Listeners gain a clear understanding of both the potential upsides and possible frustrations of the Buckeyes’ new offensive coordinator.