Buckeye Football Notebook: ‘It’s definitely gonna be a different outcome this year’

No More Texas Hold ‘Em For Jeremiah Smith

In what was a fabulous freshman season for Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith last year stands the fact that he caught just one pass for three yards in the Cotton Bowl against Texas.

There are times when that game has gotten more attention than all of his others, but the reason for that is because it was so out of “the ordinary” of what Smith had trained everyone to expect.

The single catch wasn’t due to a lack of effort, of course, but rather a plurality of effort from the Longhorn defense. Smith was double teamed, bracketed, shaded, and any other word you want to use to indicate being an extreme focal point.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline are working hard to make sure they’re ready for the same kind of approach from Texas this year when the two teams open their respective seasons in Ohio Stadium.

And Jeremiah Smith is ready for whatever the plan entails.

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it. It’s a great matchup,” Smith said this week at Big Ten Media Days. “They did a couple of things, taking me out of the game. But me, Coach Hartline, Coach Day, we just had a conversation about it. Certain things we’re gonna do this year for them not to do that. So it’s definitely gonna be a different outcome this year.”

While Smith only had one catch, his teammates stepped up and made plays in his stead. And he’s willing to go through it again if necessary.

“Yeah, it was pretty frustrating for me,” he admitted. “But I just gotta be a team player at the end of the day. Just let the other guys eat. So nothing too big.”

Versatility Abounds At Defensive End

The Ohio State defense this year will feature five fourth-year defensive ends, two of whom were at different schools last year, and one of whom was at a different position.

Their varied backgrounds may mirror their varied skill sets.

Redshirt junior Kenyatta Jackson and senior Caden Curry have been the primary backups to starters Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau the past two seasons, but now more will be expected.

Ohio State went into the transfer portal for redshirt juniors Beau Atkinson from North Carolina and Logan George out of Idaho State, and then went into the OSU linebacker room for senior CJ Hicks.

“The defensive end, that position, there’s so much versatility there,” senior linebacker Sonny Styles said Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days. “You got size in Kenyatta — size, strength, speed, all that stuff. You got Beau, who’s also another big defensive. You got Logan, who’s come in and been very physical.”

George was in for spring but Atkinson was a post-spring addition. Both have continued to impress in the weight room.

And they are not alone.

“CJ is very quick, also still super strong. I don’t know if you realize how strong he is,” Styles said. “But there’s so much versatility there. You got Caden Curry. He’s just a baller. I’ve always looked at Caden Curry as one of those guys who just makes plays no matter where he’s at. Kickoff, punt, punt return, he’s always making plays. I’m excited to see him make some plays a defensive end this year. There’s so much versatility in that room.”

Finder’s Fee For Caleb Downs?

Despite being labeled as one of the top two players in college football this year, Ohio State junior safety Caleb Downs is a fairly humble person. He doesn’t tout himself as much as he could — at least not on the field.

In the scouting department, however, he isn’t so modest. He and former safety mate Lathan Ransom have both claimed at least some responsibility in Ohio State targeting former Purdue tight end Max Klare in the transfer portal. To hear either of them tell it, they went to Ohio State tight ends coach Keenan Bailey and told him what they thought of Klare.

“Yeah, me and Lathan had a conversation last year. We were like, ‘Yeah, that’s the best tight end we’ve played throughout the season.’ And we told him that,” Downs said. “He played really well against us, and before us when we watched his film before the game. So it was just good to watch him play. And now that he’s on our side of the Big Ten, it’s a great feeling.”

Klare joined the Buckeyes following the 2024 season and Downs continues to be impressed with what he’s seen.

“Elite route runner. He has ability to run routes like a receiver, and that’s not very common for tight ends,” he said. “I feel like he does that at an elite level and puts himself in a position to win. He’s got a good understanding of the game. And then he’s also physical and is willing to block and everything like that. So it’s a good combination of both.”

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