Freshman star Jeremiah Smith is expected to be a key contributor in Year 1 at Ohio State. The Buckeyes have perhaps the most hype and the most pressure of any college football program in America in 2024. Head coach Ryan Day faced immense scrutiny after three consecutive losses to rival Michigan and College Football Playoff opportunities squandered. They’ve built up a great team in Columbus but had great teams there in the past. This team has to be different.
Will Howard replaced Kyle McCord, who transferred to Syracuse in the offseason. Howard transferred to Ohio State from the Kansas State Wildcats. Howard will attempt to take command of the Buckeyes and lead the program to its first National Championship since the inaugural CFP in 2014. He will also face incredible pressure this season. But Smith thinks he’s the real deal.
“He definitely made a big jump from in the spring,” Smith told Letterman Row, speaking on Howard’s progress from spring camp to summer via On3. “I like his confidence. He’s starting to talk more. Talk a lot of mess on the field and I like that about my quarterback. I love quarterbacks who like to talk and just get around his players and make them feel good.”
Smith is one of the most highly-touted wide receiver recruits in a very long time. Some have compared him to Julio Jones, who burst onto the scene with the Alabama Crimson Tide back in 2008. Jones became a sensational college wide receiver with a National Championship to his name in 2011. He then jumped to the NFL, where he arguably had a Hall of Fame career with the Atlanta Falcons. Ohio State will surely be fortunate to have him on their roster this season.
If Smith can even hit a fraction of that, he and the Buckeyes will have a lot to celebrate during the next few seasons. But it’s all about 2024 in Columbus. Howard will have all the attention squarely on him.
[Letterman Row, On3]
