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Jeremiah Smith did the impossible last season.
He lived up to his billing.
Labeled a once-in-a-generation talent when he signed with Ohio State as the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2024 recruiting class, Smith was indispensable to the Buckeyes’ run to the national championship.
He sparked Ohio State’s playoff run with a touchdown catch against Tennessee. His 56-yard catch on third-and-11 all but clinched OSU’s national title. Smith finished with 76 catches for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns.
What to do for an encore?
“I definitely can get better,” Smith said Tuesday after the 13th of Ohio State’s 15 spring practices. “I don’t feel I’m getting complacent. There’s always room for improvement.”
Smith has taken snaps as a slot receiver this spring. If he’s a mismatch for cornerbacks as a receiver on the outside, imagine what he would be on the inside.
“That’s a mismatch for sure, going against safeties and linebackers,” Smith said.
Because he played so much last year and the Buckeyes are trying to groom young receivers, Smith’s workload this spring has been limited. For a player who wants to be on the field for every snap, it has been an adjustment.
“The competitive nature in me wants to go out there and practice,” he said. “I’ve got to listen to my coaches. I always want to practice and compete, but sometimes I have to listen and take a break.”
Probably the biggest challenge Smith faces this year is off the field. He’s quiet by nature, but coaches want him to become more of a vocal leader. When offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Brian Hartline was asked who the vocal leaders of his position…
Source link : https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/college/football/2025/04/08/jeremiah-smith-ohio-state-football-roster-2025-season/82989476007/
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Publish date : 2025-04-08 19:35:00
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