Jeremiah Smith’s one-hand grab of this touchdown pass from Devin Brown broke the game open in Saturday’s win over Michigan State. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
No other Ohio State freshman, and only a handful in college football, anywhere, have made as big an early impact since the days of Archie Griffin. And if you haven’t seen him…someone called Buckeyes receiver Jeremiah Smith ‘Houdini in a helmet’ after Saturday’s win at Michigan State.
On Sunday people were talking about Ohio State’s 38-7 win Saturday night over Michigan State. I saw it first-hand, having accompanied writer Jeff Gilbert to the game in East Lansing.
But let’s be honest. They weren’t talking so much about the game, but about freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith, whose performance continues to amaze not just Buckeye Country, but the nation for his ability to outrun defenders, catch the ball in traffic, and if he has to…reach out and snag it with one hand as if he’s picking up a baseball. They weren’t talking about the game…they were talking about ‘the catch’!
On a Michigan talk show Sunday someone called him, “Houdini in a helmet.”
Smith made a couple of such catches in the Saturday night win over Sparty, and the hoopla afterwards warrants our writing about him here as our ‘Who’s Hot’ honoree of the week. No other high school receiver was more sought after as an incoming freshman this fall as the 6-3, 215 pounder out of Chaminade-Madonna, High School in Miami Gardens, Florida. His physical features, alone, were enough to make Ryan Day hesitant about being too effusive on his potential impact through summer camp – kind of a wait-and-you’ll see caution by the Buckeyes’ coach.
But that’s all over now. There’s no more wait-and-see. Against Akron, Western Michigan, Marshall – and Michigan State on Saturday – the whole nation saw for themselves with a pair of miraculous one-hand stabs at catches by Smith made even Ryan Day nearly speechless. The most significant was one right before halftime after quarterback Will Howard had left the game after taking a shot to the ribs…a pass thrown by backup Devin Brown. Brown gunned it toward the sideline where Smith easily out-jumped a Michigan State defender, grabbed it with his right hand, and let his momentum carry him on to the end zone.
Later, in the post-game press conference, Day was succinct in his praise.
“Devin stepped up in a big way and delivered that throw,” he said. “But what an unbelievable catch by Jeremiah. I couldn’t believe he caught it (above).”
It ran as our Press Pros cover shot on Sunday, prompting others to comment on social media and by email…that like Day, they’d seen it but couldn’t believe he actually caught the ball…with one hand!
“It’s his work ethic,” said Day, seeking to explain to reporters why Smith has been able to become the face of the program so quickly in just four short games as a freshman.
“Since the first day he showed up he’s worked like that. You can just see the acceleration, how fast he plays. Part of that is his athleticism, but another part is just the way he prepares.”
Shy, and without much to say, he stood in a corner of the room behind Day and just grinned bashfully as his coach talked about him. And when it was his time to take the microphone on the podium, he deferred credit to Devin Brown and the throw…not about how he caught it.
“Devin just threw a great ball, and I had to make a play,” he said.
That’s all. That’s what he said with a smile and a tone of ‘let’s move on’.
But he’ll say more, and that soon – not with words but with actions. You, and Big Ten opponents haven’t heard the last from Jeremiah Smith. You haven’t seen the last of those one-hand catches that he practices in pre-game with the deftness of others unwrapping a hot dog. With five receiving touchdowns and six overall in his first four games, to go with 364 yards, he’s threatening every Ohio State freshman receiving record…and the impact of Marvin Harrison, Jr. just a year ago, the most recent of the best of the best Buckeye receivers – Boston, Carter, Olave, and Harrison.
It’s rare that we grace this page with someone other than a high school athlete, but just four games ago Jeremiah Smith was a high schooler. With that context, he’s this week’s ‘Who’s Hot’ selection on Press Pros.
On behalf of sponsor, the St. Henry Bank, Press Pros is happy to recognize this week’s ‘Who’s Hot’ honoree, Jeremiah Smith, of the Ohio State Buckeyes.