Ohio State Urged to “Clean House” to Fix Deep-Rooted Offensive Problems After Firing Assistant Coach

Ryan Day’s decision to fire special teams coordinator Robby Discher has ignited a fiery debate about Ohio State’s real problems. Following a disappointing 41-28 loss to Oregon, the Buckeyes moved quickly to clean up their staff. But one analyst argues the program is ignoring a much bigger issue lurking beneath the surface.

“I think Ohio State, personally, and I believe this, they’ve got a coaching problem on that offense,” Brandon Marcello said. “They need to clean house. They’re going to have to if they want to fix this.”

The Buckeyes have shown they can score against weaker teams, averaging 35.7 points per game. But Marcello points to a clear pattern: that average drops to just 23 points against Texas, USC, and Oregon. It’s a gap that suggests coaching adjustments, not talent, are the root cause. For a program expected to compete for a national championship, that decline is becoming a serious concern.

The Oregon loss exposed those offensive limits. Ohio State built a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, but the offense stalled completely afterward, failing to score in the second and third quarters before adding two late touchdowns when the game was already out of reach.

Despite Luke Fahey throwing for 360 yards (although most of it came when it was over) and two touchdowns, Ohio State struggled to get its running game going, finishing with just 53 rushing yards on 21 attempts. Once Oregon adjusted, the Buckeyes struggled to find another way to move the ball.

Part of the problem is how much Ohio State depends on individual players. Jeremiah Smith remains one of the best receivers in college football, but even his incredible talent hasn’t been enough to keep the offense going against top teams. Smith had seven catches for 133 yards and a touchdown against Oregon, but Ohio State still couldn’t get the win. Against USC, he caught 10 passes for 83 yards, yet the Buckeyes scored only 18 points. Having a star receiver is great, but the offense needs other players to step up when defenses focus on taking him out of the game.

The quarterback situation has made things even harder. With Julian Sayin sidelined by injury, true freshman Luke Fahey has been forced to take over. Fahey has shown plenty of promise, but he is still learning at the college level. That makes it even more important for the coaching staff to build an offense that gives him easier opportunities instead of putting too much pressure on him.

Marcello believes the problem goes beyond the quarterback and that Ohio State needs to rethink how it builds its offense.

“They need to readjust their thinking and how they approach the transfer portal, recruiting, and development. You can’t lean on one guy and think that’s going to get you through everything,” he explained.

That puts Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in the spotlight. Ohio State brought Smith in to lead the offense, but the Buckeyes still haven’t shown the consistency expected from a championship contender. How they recruit quarterbacks, develop young players, and build depth across the offense will all become bigger questions if these struggles continue. The Buckeyes cannot keep depending on their biggest stars to solve every problem.

Is Discher a scapegoat?

Meanwhile, Marcello isn’t convinced that firing Discher fixes the biggest issue. Ohio State’s special teams have certainly had problems this season. The Buckeyes missed a field goal against Texas, gave up a 44-yard punt return against USC, and committed three special-teams penalties in that game.

Against Oregon, the Ducks’ successful fake punt on fourth-and-nine also helped shift the momentum. Ohio State was ranked 102nd nationally in special-teams’s efficiency when Discher was fired. Still, Marcello believes the coaching staff is ignoring more serious problems on the offensive side.

“I think it’s comical that you wake up on a Sunday or a Monday, and your decision is ‘Let’s fire the special teams coach who’s been here nine months’ because they had a fake punt that went awry. It’s not your issues. It’s not your special teams coordinator,” Marcello added.

Firing Discher might help Ohio State address its special-teams problems, but it won’t automatically fix the offense whatsoever. The bigger question is whether Day is willing to look at the entire offensive setup instead of making one coaching change after another disappointing result.

Ohio State has some of the best talent in college football, but talent alone isn’t enough to win championships. The Buckeyes need better offensive adjustments, stronger player development, and more players capable of making an impact when their biggest stars are struggling. And if Marcello is right, Day may have to make much bigger changes than simply replacing one assistant coach.

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