Jeremiah Smith has already done enough at Ohio State to make the hype feel almost unfair, and he’s still only getting started. By the end of the 2026 season, he’ll probably own just about every receiving record the Buckeyes have, and there’s even a real chance he walks away with two national titles in three years.
That’s the kind of player Smith is: the best in the country, the best on his own team, and somehow still one of the most unselfish voices in the locker room. In a recent interview with Brandon Marcello of CBS Sports, he said exactly what fans want to hear from a star who knows he’s a star without needing to announce it.
"I'm not just going to the coach's office and saying, 'Oh, give me the ball.' I'm not demanding," Smith said.
"They know they've got to give me the ball. I don't have to say it.
It's in plain view."
That’s the whole deal with Smith. He’d rather let the production speak for itself.
And when you’re that dominant, you don’t need to pound the table. Everyone already understands the assignment.
He also made it clear that leaving Ohio State this offseason was never the move, even with some programs reportedly willing to offer him $10 million to go elsewhere.
"It would be dumb for me to leave Ohio State and go to another team when I have the best offensive line in the country, the best quarterback in the country, the best coaches in the country. That would be a stupid move for me to go somewhere else."
And honestly, the numbers suggest there may still be another level coming. Last season, Smith put up 87 catches for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns, even while missing a game against Rutgers and playing only the first half against UCLA. That’s already a monster year, and it might not even be his peak.
If he stays healthy in 2026, the ceiling is enormous. The source points to a season that could land near 1,700 yards and 18 touchdowns if everything breaks right for Ohio State. Smith is stronger and faster than he has ever been, which is a scary thought for everyone else in the sport.
He’ll also have Julian Sayin, who completed 77 percent of his passes last year, helping keep the ball on time and on target. That kind of efficiency matters when the Buckeyes are staring down a brutal schedule. Still, Ohio State has the kind of talent that makes those challenges feel a little less overwhelming.
Smith has given Ohio State fans plenty to latch onto already, and they’ve clearly returned the favor. He’s become one of the most beloved figures in recent memory, and this year gives him a chance to turn that into full-on all-time fan-favorite status.
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One of the clearest signs of that push is the attention being paid to New Jersey linebacker Tahj Gray, a rising prospect the staff wants on campus this fall. Ohio State has an important window to make an impression on the 2028 class, and Grays upcoming trip gives Laurinaitis and the Buckeyes another chance to show why the program keeps landing in the middle of these early national battles. [Read more 🡒]
Will Howard Faces A Big Steelers Test Ohio State Fans Will Watch
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Ohio States New Offense Is Already Sending A Clear Message
Arthur Smith is only in the building as Ohio States new offensive coordinator, but his early imprint is already being noticed by the players. Isaiah West said the offense feels more streamlined under Smith, with a smaller, more focused playbook that seems designed to make the Buckeyes easier to organize and faster to play with. After Brian Hartline left to become the head coach at USF, the change at coordinator was always going to be one of the biggest storylines of the offseason, and the way Smith is shaping the unit has given it an immediate point of interest.
For Ohio State, the timing matters because the offense is coming off a year in which it finished 26th nationally in yards per game, a number that put a little more pressure on every adjustment the staff makes. A cleaner structure can mean clearer roles for the players, and it can also signal a philosophical reset as the Buckeyes try to get back to the level expected in Columbus. Wests comments suggest the early tone around the room is positive, even if the full meaning of the new approach will only become clear once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]