Will Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith Bounce Back Against Notre Dame?

After a quiet performance against Texas, will Ohio State's star wideout Jeremiah Smith bounce back against Notre Dame in the National Championship?
Jan 10, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) in action during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Jan 10, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) in action during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
In this story:

While the Ohio State Buckeyes enjoyed a sweet victory over the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl, many fans walked away with concerns over the lack of production from freshman standout Jeremiah Smith.

Heading into the contest, Smith was on an incredible two-game stint during the 2024-25 CFP, as the young receiver had 13 catches for 290 yards and four touchdowns in the program's victories over Tennessee and Oregon. But the tides quickly changed in Dallas, as the Longhorns defense held Smith to one catch for three yards.

The main reason for Smith lack of production in the Cotton Bowl matchup was due to the defensive scheme Texas presented in the semifinals. Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski did a fantastic job of using a "bracket coverage" against Smith, which allowed for his defense to viturally double or triple team Smith.

Despite seeing limited action against the Longhorns, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly must find ways to involve Smith in the passing game.

Notre Dame's star cornerback, Benjamin Morrison, suffered a season-ending injury in Oct, which was a critical blow for the Fighting Irish. However, Freeman's defense still has many key pieces in the secondary unit in cornerbacks Christian Gray and Leonard Moore, as well as safety Xavier Watts. Their core group of defensive backs this year have led Notre Dame to being one of the best teams in the nation at stopping the pass, as they have allowed 165.3 passing yards per game this season.

While Notre Dame has multiple talented defensive backs, the main question becomes how will defensive coordinator Al Golden use his key players in the National Championship? Will he focus on bracketing Smith, or will he trust his defense to generate pressure on Howard in order for him to not consistently force feed Smith?

It's likely that Freeman and Golden looked at the Texas game and realized that bracketing the young wideout can completely derail the Buckeyes' offensive game plan.

If that becomes the case on Monday, Kelly must create ways to get Smith open in the passing game. This can be done by putting him in motion, stacking him with other receivers, or simply targeting Ohio State's other top-tier playmakers.

Smith played a huge role in the program's offense this season, as his presence on the field created more opportunities for other pass catchers, along with opening up the run game. This still occurred against the Longhorns, as the bracket coverage helped running back TreVeyon Henderson break off a 75-yard touchdown off a slip screen.

At the bare minimum, Kelly must incorporate his other talented pass catchers in the offensive game plan in order to find success against Notre Dame's stout defense. Sophomore wide receiver Carnell Tate stepped up for the Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl, as he finished with seven catches for 87 yards.


Published
Dylan Feltovich
DYLAN FELTOVICH

Dylan Feltovich attended John Carroll University and started working for numerous sites in the On SI network in 2023 as a staff writer. He has covered high school and college events around the Northeast Ohio area for several years.