Mike Vrabel says Arthur Smith will bring physicality, toughness and aggressive play calling to Ohio State’s offense as the Buckeyes’ new offensive coordinator.
The coach who gave Arthur Smith his first opportunity to be an offensive coordinator is happy to see Smith now coaching at Ohio State. When Matt LaFleur left the Tennessee Titans to become the head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 2019, Mike Vrabel promoted Smith – who had been an assistant with the Titans since 2011 – to be their offensive coordinator.
Smith served in that capacity for two seasons, in which the Titans’ offense ranked among the NFL’s best, before becoming the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2021. Smith and Vrabel remain friends to this day, and Vrabel – an Ohio State alum – joked that Smith will be hearing from him if Ohio State’s offense doesn’t perform up to expectations. “Arthur’s a friend, so I talk to him often. Got a lot of respect for him as a coach, but not only that, as a person and as a friend. So for all the Ohio State fans, I guess we have somebody to complain to if they don't score 50 points a game like every other Buckeye fan does,” Vrabel, who’s now the coach of the New England Patriots, said Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. That said, Vrabel expects Smith to do great work as Ohio State’s new offensive coordinator. Asked what the Buckeyes are getting from their new offensive play caller, Vrabel said Smith – who was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive coordinator for the last two years – will bring toughness, physicality and aggression to the Buckeyes’ offense. “I think Arthur's got a physicality to him, a toughness to him that he wants to put onto the football field offensively,” Vrabel said. “He's created enough, has worked with a number of different players, that I think they enjoy some of the wrinkles that he has. I think he's got some core concepts that he enjoys. And he's always been an aggressive play caller.”Vrabel, who played for the Buckeyes from 1993 to 1996, knows firsthand what it’s like to be an assistant coach at Ohio State. In the first coaching jobs of his career, Vrabel was Ohio State’s linebackers coach under Luke Fickell in 2011 and the Buckeyes’ defensive line coach in 2012 and 2013. But Vrabel, who’s spoken often about how much he’s grown as a coach from who he was when he was at Ohio State to now being a, said he won’t be giving Smith any advice based on his own experiences coaching for the Buckeyes. “I didn't know anything, so I'm certainly not going to give him any advice. I think what he does is going to be plenty,” Vrabel said. “And that's to put the players first, make connections with them, do what the players do best.” “I think Arthur's got a physicality to him, a toughness to him that he wants to put onto the football field offensively.”That said, Vrabel will certainly be rooting for his former protégé to be successful in Columbus. “I'm excited for him to be in Columbus,” Vrabel said. “Obviously, that place means a lot to me personally and my family. So having gone there and lived there, I support him.”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Judge Blocks Release of Jack Smith's Report on Trump's Handling of DocumentsA federal judge has permanently blocked the release of the second volume of former special counsel Jack Smith's report concerning the investigation into Donald Trump's handling of classified documents and alleged obstruction of the federal probe. The decision, made in response to a request from Trump and his co-defendants, prevents the Justice Department from making the report public. Critics of the ruling cite concerns over transparency and the public's right to know.
Read more »
Dalton Rushing embraces role playing behind Will Smith, seeks smoother second seasonWith three-time All-Star catcher Will Smith in front of him, Dalton Rushing’s role is clear: He is the Dodgers’ backup catcher. What will that yield in 2026?
Read more »
Mike Johnson throws cold water on House stepping in to codify Trump’s tariffsThe House speaker said it would be difficult to reach 'consensus' on tariffs in the legislative branch, calling for restraint on tariff refund requests.
Read more »
Jodie Turner-Smith Styles a Disco Ball Top as a Dress for Burberry's Front RowMeguire Hennes is the fashion staff writer at Marie Claire, where she breaks down the celebrity looks living rent-free in her head (and yours). Whether a star is walking the red carpet or posing on Instagram, Meguire will tell you who they're wearing and why. When she's not gushing about A-listers from J.
Read more »
Vrabel calls for increased staffing at NFL replay center to help cut down on mistakesNew England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel called on the league to increase staffing at the replay command center to make sure that reviews from all games are treated equally in the future
Read more »
Mike Vrabel walks fine line with AJ Brown comments as Patriots trade rumors growMike Vrabel can play linebacker, coach a Super Bowl team and walk a tightrope.
Read more »