Ohio State’s passing game has become a study in extremes: Jeremiah Smith is piling up numbers at a ridiculous clip, and everyone else is waiting for the next real chance to matter.
That’s the tension inside the Buckeyes right now. Smith just turned in a monster line against Illinois - 12 catches, 217 yards and four touchdowns - and the production since then has only reinforced how much of the offense runs through him. Through four weeks, the sophomore has 33 receptions for 617 yards and seven touchdowns, leading the nation in both yards and touchdowns and putting himself in the Heisman Trophy conversation.
Arthur Smith said Wednesday after practice that defenses have tried to take Jeremiah away, but haven’t found a way to do it.
"It's a credit to him and to all our players and staff and everything," Arthur said after practice Wednesday. "And obviously, when you've got a player like Jeremiah, it's hard not to try to get him the ball every which way you can."
That reality has left Ohio State still looking for a second receiver to step forward and become a reliable complement. Devin McCuin is the only other Buckeye with more than 10 catches, sitting at 13 receptions for 165 yards and a touchdown. Six of those grabs and 97 of those yards came in the opener against Ball State.
Arthur Smith pointed to McCuin as an example of what the Buckeyes need more of. Against Illinois, when defenses crowded Jeremiah, McCuin won a one-on-one matchup on a third-and-long conversion.
"It's just kind of been one of those years so far, but there's other guys that are gonna continue to step up, and we'll continue to work that. But there's definitely progress being made with some of the young guys, and guys have stepped up," Arthur said.
"I mean, Devin stepped up; there was one play, if you wanna go back and look at it, they had three guys on Jeremiah. One-on-one, somebody needs to win.
Devin did; huge conversion on 3rd-and-long last week (against Illinois). So we got to continue to work on that."
McCuin, the UTSA transfer, said he’s focused on earning trust and handling whatever role helps Ohio State keep winning.
"I just try to come in there and just earn trust from my teammates. And I think that's what I'm doing," McCuin said after practice Wednesday.
"I'm ready to take on bigger roles. If I need to stay back and that's what I need to do to keep winning, that's what I'll do."
The Buckeyes have already seen what happens when Smith is taken out of the picture. Against Texas, he didn’t catch a pass in the final 23 minutes, and nobody else picked up the slack. Since then, it’s been all Jeremiah, all the time, and the rest of the receivers have mostly been along for the ride.
For now, Ohio State can keep feeding its star and living with the results. But if a defense ever manages to shut him down the way Texas did for that stretch, the Buckeyes are going to need someone else ready to answer.
McCuin says his approach won’t change either way.
"My mindset is just going out and winning every single rep I can. Every rep I get, I don't take for granted.
So I just go out there and try to win my rep," McCuin said. "If the ball comes to me, I'll go make the play.
If it doesn't, it is what it is. But that doesn't change my mindset going into the next play.
You know what I'm saying?"
In Other News...
Julian Sayin Sends Ohio State Offense A Clear Warning Before Iowa
Julian Sayin left the Illinois game sounding more like a quarterback settling into the bigger picture than one looking for a quick victory lap. He pointed to the offense's steady progress, the value of keeping drives alive with his legs, and the growing comfort level around him as young receivers continue to take on larger roles. Jeremiah Smith has been a central part of that mix, and Sayin also credited the veteran offensive linemen for helping stabilize things up front as the Buckeyes keep building.
The next test comes with another road trip, and Sayin made it clear those spots demand sharper execution and a little more maturity from everyone involved. Iowa is the kind of place where the margin for error can shrink fast, and Ohio State's quarterback knows the offense cannot treat this as a finished product. The message from Sayin was simple enough: the Buckeyes have come a long way, but the real work is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has One Huge Chance To Make A National Statement
Ohio State heads into a rare early measuring-stick game with a chance to leave no doubt about where it stands nationally. The Buckeyes have looked sharp enough to build real momentum, and the next step comes in a difficult road setting where every possession matters and every explosive play carries extra weight.
Jeremiah Smith remains one of the biggest reasons this game has taken on added intrigue, even beyond the team stakes around him. With the matchup set against unbeaten Iowa and its stingy defense at Kinnick Stadium, Ohio State will also be watching how Julian Sayin handles the moment and whether the defense can create the kind of turnovers that turn a good win into something louder. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Is Pushing Early In A Crucial In-State Recruiting Battle
Ohio State is still leaning hard into the 2028 class, and the Buckeyes have added another name to the board with a scholarship offer to Dion Edwards, a defensive back from Tyner Academy in Chattanooga. Edwards is already regarded as one of the classs better prospects, and the offer fits the programs usual pattern of getting in early on defensive backs before the recruiting race gets crowded. The Buckeyes are also preparing to host defensive tackle Jamarcus Johnson on an unofficial visit, another sign that the staff is keeping close tabs on a highly ranked group of underclassmen.
The in-state angle remains just as important, though, because Cincinnati Princeton running back Jordan Hall has trimmed his list to Ohio State, Missouri and Penn State. Halls decision window is already set for Oct. 23, giving the Buckeyes a clear deadline in a battle that matters well beyond one recruitment. For a program that builds heavily on winning Ohios top talent, every step in that process carries extra weight, especially when the competition is down to the final three. [Read more 🡒]