Ohio State football wideout Jeremiah Smith gave a heartbreaking reaction to offensive coordinator Chip Kelly's departure for the Las Vegas Raiders. The Buckeyes OC is leaving for the same position in the NFL as Ryan Day's team begins their quest for a second-straight national title. Smith will be heading into his sophomore season for the Buckeyes after a sensational freshman year.

While Ryan Day will surely find an accomplished OC to replace Chip Kelly, Smith was initially grief-stricken by the bombshell report. The First-team All-American gave a brief reaction on Twitter to the news.

Jeremiah Smith is a bonafide Heisman Trophy candidate as he leads the defending champs into next season

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) holds the trophy following the 34-23 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 21, 2025.
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Smith's freshman year was one for the record books in Columbus. For the season, the Miami Gardens native caught 76 catches for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns. Smith carried his form into the College Football Playoff with dominant performances in the first two rounds.

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After a relatively quiet semifinal showing, the 19-year-old caught five passes for 88 yards and a touchdown in the National Championship win over Notre Dame. This included a huge 56-yard play that virtually sealed the game for the Buckeyes. This play, which happened on a third and long, ultimately marked a change in philosophy for Ohio State football's offense under Chip Kelly.

For most of the year, the Buckeyes focused on setting the tone with their ground game. During the preseason, the combination of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins was projected to be the best backfield in the country. While both players had excellent years, this was not the team's main strength. And Ohio State football's overreliance on the ground game was one of the reasons for its crushing loss to Michigan.

Fortunately, Kelly and Ryan Day learned from their mistakes. The Buckeyes then focused more on their advantages on the perimeter with their elite receiving. That started with getting Smith more targets and letting quarterback Will Howard have free reign over the offense. The rest is history, as Ohio State football looked like an absolute juggernaut since that Michigan game.

The Buckeyes opened the College Football Playoff with a dominant home victory over No. 7 Tennessee. Ohio State football then got revenge over No. 1 Oregon in another blowout win. After the Rose Bowl, Ryan Day's team won their ninth national title in school history with wins over No. 3 Texas and No. 5 Notre Dame.

Overall, Jeremiah Smith has every right to feel dismayed by this news. Chip Kelly was a large part of his terrific freshman year. However, Smith should still be a legit Heisman Trophy contender in 2025. The Buckeyes are likely to enter the season as the No. 1 team in the country. And they open up the season against the likely No. 2 Texas Longhorns.

Jeremiah Smith will ultimately have a significant chance to make a statement immediately. And based on the recent past, he will hit the ground running with his new offensive coordinator.