Jeremiah Smith embracing expectations ahead of highly-anticipated freshman season
COLUMBUS — Up until a couple of days ago, Ohio State coach Ryan Day politely deferred in the past few months from speaking much about freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith, despite Smith having been on campus since January, having had an outstanding run of spring practices, in short living up so far to the hype that accompanied him being the No. 1 overall prospect nationally in the 2024 cycle.
Not that Day doubts what Smith can do for the Buckeyes and their stacked roster as they step into this coming “natty or bust” season. Heck, remember how Day’s knees buckled during the press conference on signing day in December when a staff member stepping into the back of room assured him Smith had reaffirmed his Ohio State pledge?
Perhaps recently Day had opted not to add to the praise that has gushed about Smith for months now in an effort to keep it from going to Smith’s head. If so, it turns out Day should have had no such worries.
“I mean, I know it’s big expectation for me, because, you know, No. 1 player in the country coming in and all the hype around me,” Smith said Friday, speaking for the first time this preseason to the horde of media that covers the Buckeyes. “I just try to block out all that stuff and just focus on the main thing, just the team and our receivers room and the locker room.”
A few weeks ago on The Tim May Show, former Ohio State star and Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Cris Carter said he expects Smith to make an impact from game one, that he is that potential. Smith likely wants to do that, too, but said Friday he has a realistic approach.
“You know, just the first game comes, if I don’t see the expectations that y’all have for me, I mean, I don’t really care,” Smith said. “I just want to go out there and win a game. That’s it.”
Turns out, Day has seen for a while that despite the accolades, Smith showed up at Ohio State with a get-to-work attitude, and has displayed that on the practice field, in the meeting, in the weight room and, heck, even in the meals room. Smith has embraced the work ethic and the competitive spirit stirred by receiver coach Brian Hartline and the rest of the staff.
“He loves it,” Day said. “We were up and up in the training table the other day, and [Smith reiterated] that’s why I came here, to get better. And you know, I’m going against these guys and learning about myself.’ And I just, I love the spirit.
“He’s so competitive. You know, for somebody who’s talented, he is, first off, he’s strong, he’s powerful, he’s big. But it’s his work ethic, to me, that just jumps out. He’s physically tough. I mean, physically, he’ll get after you, but also, when he gets out there, very, very few [missed assignments] for a young player, he takes his game very, very seriously.
“He puts the work in off the field, and if he doesn’t, you know, make the play, he’s hard on himself. And so, you know, where do you find somebody who’s as talented as he is, really good discipline and skill at that age. So we haven’t played a game yet, but you know, he’s building a lot of respect amongst his teammates, for sure.”
Count Ohio State senior cornerback Denzel Burke among those in the respect-for-Smith camp, the defensive backs gaining up close and personal experience with him in practice.
“Oh yeah, Jeremiah is a dog,” Burke said, that euphemism being the highest of praise for competitor. “I’ve been saying this for a long time now. He’s on our team, I’m glad he’s on our team. And we’re getting him better.”
But what makes Smith worthy of being called “a dog”?
“Really, just his mentality, [his success rate on bringing down] 50/50 balls,” Burke said. “He’s a pro’s pro and he’s 18 years old. And he has everything you want in a prototypical receiver, so …”
The work ethic part already has paid dividends for Smith, too, becoming the first freshman to be named an “Iron Buckeye” in the 13 years of the designation, based on his work in the offseason by football performance coordinator Mickey Marotti.
“Oh, it means a lot for me to be, was it the first freshman?” to win the award, Smith said. “That’s a blessing for me, for sure.”
It’s also a testament to the work ethic he’s shown, spurred on by his dad, he said, since starting to play sports more than a decade ago. Smith said his father always has urged him “just be older than I am. Don’t act my age. Act older than my age.
“A lot of people tell me that I don’t act my age. I’m way, way beyond my years. … We’ve just got to be mature and don’t act like a kid.”
In Smith’s case, then, that should him handle the great expectations which, as was mentioned earlier include expecting to see him play like a veteran from the jump. He is not running from it, knowing such former Ohio State greats as Carter and Marvin Harrison Jr., last year’s Biletnikoff Award winner, have such beliefs about him, too.
“It’s something great,” Smith said. “I’ve just got to go out there on the field and just show you guys that I could be the next, you know, probably great Ohio State receiver to come through here. It’s a blessing to have that, but I just gotta go out there and play and show you guys.”
The post Jeremiah Smith embracing expectations ahead of highly-anticipated freshman season appeared first on On3.
