Ohio State football quarterback Will Howard knows that he has a great young target on his side. Howard is complimenting freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith after Smith showed off against Akron Saturday.

“Jeremiah, he's a dude, man,” Howard said, per ESPN. “This is just the start for him. I'm excited to see how this season goes for him. He's a phenomenal player.”

Smith finished the Akron game with two touchdown receptions. He is the first freshman Ohio State football wide receiver to grab two touchdown passes in a debut game since Michael Wiley in 1996, per ESPN.

“If you get him in one-on-one coverage, he's going to win,” Howard added. “All I've got to do is just give him a chance and he's going to do the rest.”

Ohio State football crushed Akron, 52-6, to start the season 1-0. Smith also won the praise of his head coach, Ohio State's Ryan Day. The freshman posted six receptions for 92 yards, to go with those scores.

“Sometimes you look at him, you don't even think he's quite human,” Day said. “He's built different.”

Smith entered Columbus this season with a lot of hype. He was the no. 4 player in the country, in the ESPN Top 300 players list of the 2024 class. Ohio State football fans expect Smith to fill the shoes left behind by Marvin Harrison Jr.

“I know all the hype around me was crazy coming in,” Smith said. “I just wanted to come in and be a guy, just work and not just be about hype.”

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Ohio State football has the highest of expectations this year

Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State football enters the season as one of the favorites to go to the College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes are also favored to win the Big Ten Conference. They will win the conference if they play all year like they did on Saturday. Howard finished the contest with 228 passing yards, to go with three touchdown passes.

Howard is a transfer player from Kansas State. The quarterback helped lead the Wildcats to the 2022 Big 12 Championship. The veteran quarterback is expected to do even better in Columbus. Ohio State football has missed the College Football Playoff the last three years, losing to Michigan each time in conference play. Fans expect that to change this year.

The quarterback has some weapons on offense, along with Smith. Ohio State wideout Emeka Egbuka had four catches for 51 yards in the Akron game. The Buckeyes also have a transfer running back in Quinshon Judkins, who came over this offseason from Ole Miss. Judkins rushed for 55 yards an a touchdown against Akron Saturday.

Ohio State football next plays Western Michigan on Saturday.