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After Ohio State football wide receiver Jeremiah Smith had his Michael Jordan moment, his wide receivers coach Brian Hartline shared his expectations for the star receiver.
“He knows he's physically gifted, but he wants to be the best to ever do it and he wants to know the art of playing receiver, and so we spend a lot of time on that,” Hartline told CBS Sports. “A lot of times these guys will do things right, and they don't even know why it's right, so the frequency diminishes, but if you do it and you know it's right, that the frequency increases, and that's all we're doing. We're just trying to find consistency in reactions and execution, and that's, that's what he's learning right now.”
Through five games, Smith has 23 catches, 453 yards and six touchdowns. While his numbers are beyond impressive, the freshman records all belong to Pro Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter. He had 41 catches, 648 yards, and eight touchdowns in 1984. With seven games left in the schedule, Smith could likely break the record if he continues his production.
What makes Jeremiah Smith so good for Ohio State football?
Smith has poise, unlike most fresheanint his position. As a five-star recruit and the top wide receiver in the country, he had options to choose from. Between Miami football, Florida football, Florida State football, and Ohio State football, the opportunities were abundant. While Smith ultimately chose Ohio State, his production was in question due to him being a freshman.
He's exceeded those expectations and then some. Smith is closing in on Carter's own OSU record. At this pace, Smith can shatter the receiving record by at least 100 yards. The Week 7 matchup may not see Jeremiah Smith as an X-factor, however, he's still one regardless.
Smith has the fifth most receiving touchdowns in the country. He and Emeka Egbuka have dominated the outside receiving game. The Oregon football secondary in 2023 gave up 3,022 passing yards, ranked 95th in the country. While transfers Jabbar Muhammad and Kobe Savage, the secondary has improved. However, the Ducks haven't faced a receiving core like Ohio State's.
Also, the Oregon front line has struggled against the run this season. People could be in for a variety of jet sweeps, wide receiver screens, and wildcat formations for Smith. Although it's outside of his comfort zone, his speed and elusive nature could expose a weaker Oregon defense.
