Desmond Howard has found another way to irritate Ohio State fans, and this time the target is Jeremiah Smith’s Heisman case.
On First Take, Howard argued that Smith hasn’t delivered the kind of signature moments that should matter in the award race. His point was blunt: “When you talk about Jeremiah Smith, it’s more than just losing Julian Sayin.
In the last two years, give me one game in which Jeremiah Smith, the wide receiver at Ohio State, was the difference in a big game. In the last two years, this season and last season.
Give me that game.”
That take doesn’t hold up to even a quick look at Ohio State’s season. Smith was the difference in the Buckeyes’ win over Indiana in Bloomington earlier this year, hauling in the game-winning touchdown on fourth-and-1 when Sayin threw it up to him. He finished with four catches for 68 yards and that score.
He was even more overwhelming at Iowa, where Ohio State beat the Hawkeyes and Smith put together a monster line: 11 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Both of those were ranked wins, and it’s hard to imagine Ohio State pulling them off without him.
And those are only the examples from this season. Howard’s comment ignored the bigger picture from last year as well, which only makes the argument look weaker.
With Ohio State’s College Football Playoff hopes fading, Smith still has a shot to make his own case for the Heisman. The Buckeyes should be feeding him as much as possible over the next three weeks. If they’re not going to make the CFP, the least they can do is push their best player toward the award.
Smith remains the odds-on favorite at several sportsbooks, but Ohio State’s approach matters now. Luke Fahey has to make sure Smith gets more targets than he did last week against Oregon, because that can’t happen again if he wants to stay in the starting role.
Howard may not see it that way, but the production is right there. Smith has the moments, the numbers and the case.
In Other News...
Ohio State Finally Made A Change Fans Saw Coming
Ohio State made the kind of midseason move fans had been expecting after a string of special teams breakdowns kept showing up at the worst possible moments. Robby Discher was fired after nine games, with the Buckeyes issues on that phase of the game becoming harder to ignore as penalties and momentum-swinging mistakes piled up in recent losses.
Ryan Day said there had simply been too many detrimental plays to keep things as they were, and the staff is now reshuffling responsibilities to finish the season. Senior analyst Rob Keys will oversee special teams the rest of the way, with other coaches taking on specific units, a sign that Ohio State is trying to steady one of the most frustrating parts of its operation before it costs them again. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Backup Quarterback Problem Just Got More Complicated
Justyn Martins role at Ohio State has become one of those quiet depth-chart stories that can suddenly matter a lot more than anyone expected. The fifth-year senior has not played this season, but with Julian Sayin sidelined, Martin is now listed as the third-string quarterback, and Ryan Day has already made it clear he likes what he has seen from him in practice. For a team that always has to be ready at quarterback, that kind of behind-the-scenes trust can carry real weight.
Martin has kept working alongside Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair, staying in the mix while the Buckeyes sort through their options. He has spoken confidently about the group and noted that Sayin remains supportive during his recovery, which only adds another layer to a situation that is still unfolding. For now, Martin is waiting for a chance that has not come yet, but the fact that Day is even floating game usage suggests Ohio States backup picture is far from settled. [Read more 🡒]
Chip Kelly Is Suddenly Back In Ohio State's Offensive Picture
Chip Kellys name is back in the mix around Ohio State, and not just as a nostalgic footnote. The former Buckeyes assistant, now at Northwestern, has surfaced in conversations about offensive play-caller openings, with his past tie to the program giving the idea immediate credibility. For a staff that is always under the microscope, any movement on the offensive side tends to draw attention quickly, especially when it involves a coach with Kellys rsum and familiarity with the Ohio State environment.
The broader picture is still fluid, though, because Nebraska is also being linked to Kelly and may try to sell him on the stature of the job rather than a simple financial pitch. For Ohio State, the possibility seems tied to whether current staff changes open a path, which is why the chatter feels more like a developing subplot than a settled pursuit. Even so, the fact that Kelly is being discussed in that context says plenty about how quickly the Buckeyes offensive landscape can shift. [Read more 🡒]