At points last season, the Ohio State Buckeyes' offense felt like a freight train, and opposing teams were getting steamrolled. That was not the case, however, in big games. New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith will be in charge of creating consistent success for the Buckeyes' offense against USC and the rest of the Big Ten.
In a recent article, Phil Harrison pinpoints what ESPN analyst Bill Connelly thinks are important factors for the Ohio State Buckeyes in winning a title. Here is what he had to say:
"If ... new OC Arthur Smith can pick up the pace.
The slower pace at which Ohio State played last year was by design and forward thinking by Day -- in the regular season. We kept hearing that the offense could step on the gas pedal if needed,
and it was needed in the postseason, but it never happened. If Smith can improve OSU's ability to vary the tempo when needed BEFORE the regular season is over, it'll allow the Buckeyes' offense to be a much harder unit to stop against the elite competition."
The Buckeyes have talent on offense that will give opponents challenges no matter what. If the Buckeyes' offense learns how to play fast consistently and not give their opposing defense a break, there will be many games that end early this season for Ohio State. If the Buckeyes can learn that by the time they face USC, that will be an even tougher game for the Trojans. Arthur Smith is a huge factor for how far the Buckeyes go this season, and whichever type of offense he cultivates can cap or elevate this team's ceiling.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Arthur Smith of Ohio State vs Gary Patterson of USC is key chess match
