Ryan Day’s latest answer on Jeremiah Smith was less about one receiver and more about how Ohio State wants its young quarterback to think.
Asked Tuesday, in the post-Iowa, pre-Maryland press conference, what the rules are for throwing to Smith, Day went with a joking tone - but the message underneath it was pretty sharp. His point was simple: if Jeremiah Smith is single-covered, he is wide open. Day also made it clear that even when Smith draws extra bodies, the defense may be creating another problem somewhere else.
That was the real takeaway from the play-action shot to Smith that turned into a 59-yard gain. Smith took on three defenders and still made the play look absurdly easy, but on the other side of the field Devin McCuin was running free by about 20 yards, no exaggeration.
It is the kind of answer that gives you a peek at how Ohio State is coaching Julian Sayin through the growing pains of playing quarterback. Smith is such a dangerous weapon that the temptation is obvious: just keep feeding him. But Day’s answer showed the other side of that equation, because forcing the ball to one superstar is not always the best thing for the offense.
Sayin is learning that balance in real time. It is fair to say he could throw it to Smith every snap and probably feel good about it, but the Buckeyes need him to see beyond the first read. The challenge is that Smith makes that very hard, and Ohio State has already paid for it a couple of times in the red zone when Sayin stayed locked onto Smith and missed open teammates.
For now, that remains one of the most interesting things to watch as the season moves along. Against the lower half of the Big Ten, Ohio State can survive that tendency. Against the better teams in the conference and the country, getting that part right could be what pushes the Buckeyes even higher.
In Other News...
Former Ohio State Coach Brian Hartline Just Took A Brutal First Step Back
Brian Hartlines first months at South Florida had gone smoothly enough, with the former Ohio State offensive coordinator off to a 4-1 start before a stumble at UTSA snapped the momentum. The trip also came with a side note that got plenty of attention, after Hartline made comments about the noise inside the opponents stadium and then had those remarks revisited in a very public way once the game was over.
From Ohio States perspective, Hartlines next chapter is still part of the larger coaching tree story, but the Buckeyes have their own issues to sort out as the schedule rolls on. The offense has had trouble getting the rushing game where it needs to be, and while Hartline is now trying to settle in as a head coach, his rough first step back served as another reminder that the margins get small fast once conference and nonconference tests start to pile up. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Elite Passing Game Is Hiding A Bigger Running Back Issue
Ohio States passing game has been humming along at a level few teams in the country can match, but the ground game is carrying a very different kind of conversation. The Buckeyes sit 81st in rushing yards per attempt, a ranking that stands out for a team with this much offensive firepower and one that has had to lean on a rotating backfield rather than finding a clear weekly answer.
The workload has bounced among Ja'Kobi Jackson, Bo Jackson and Isaiah West, with true freshman Legend Bey also part of the early mix. Beys limited role has drawn attention because of questions around why his touches have thinned out, and while there has been speculation about professionalism concerns, nothing has been officially confirmed. For a team built to pressure defenses in every way, the bigger issue may be less about who is getting the carries and more about whether Ohio State has settled on the right one. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Brings Coaching Drama And A Defense Ohio State Can Exploit
Maryland arrives with plenty of noise around the program, and not much of it has anything to do with what happens between the lines. The uncertainty around Mike Locksleys future has hung over the Terps for a while now, with the athletic director potentially waiting until after the bye week to make a call, and that backdrop only adds to the sense that Ohio State is catching Maryland at a tense moment. At the same time, the offensive side has slipped, with Malik Washingtons play trending down and the Terps searching for steadier footing.
There is still enough on the defensive front to make Maryland worth studying, especially along the line, where a few key pieces can flash and disrupt a game if the rest of the unit holds together. The problem, as Michael Howes pointed out, is that the tackling has not been dependable enough, and those misses have repeatedly undercut the defense. For Ohio State, that creates a familiar sort of opportunity, one that starts with pressure up front and can quickly turn into a longer afternoon for a defense already carrying too much uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]