Indiana coach Curt Cignetti isn’t kidding around when he says Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is a “wow guy.” He flat-out quipped that his Hoosiers defense isn’t “allowed to play with 12 or 13” guys on the field to deal with Smith, and honestly, after seeing the numbers, you know he’s not wrong. Smith is playing at another level, and his dominance is why this Saturday’s game in Bloomington is set to be a brutal challenge for Indiana.
The Numbers Don’t Lie, They Scream
This isn’t some minor threat, folks. Smith, as a junior, ranks second nationally in catches with 48, yards with a staggering 916, and touchdowns with 11. Let that sink in for a second. And the crazy part? His numbers would actually be even higher if Ohio State hadn’t eased up on his usage in blowout wins against Kent State and Maryland. Cignetti himself admitted, “He’s a great player. He’s playing at another level.”
Indiana has seen this guy twice already, and the trend is terrifying. As a freshman, Smith had a modest three catches for 34 yards in a 38-15 Buckeyes win. Last year, he exploded for eight receptions and 144 yards, even though Ohio State lost that game. Now, as a junior, he is in a completely different stratosphere.
“Wow Guy” is an Understatement
Cignetti’s “wow guy” comment on The Triple Option really nails it. He said, “That’s the only word I can think of when somebody asks me about him, is wow. So we got to do the best we can.” The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner is even putting Smith in the conversation with legends like Calvin Johnson and Julio Jones as “among the best college receiver prospects we’ve seen this century.” That’s high praise, and it tells you everything you need to know about the kind of talent Indiana is up against.
To make matters worse for the Hoosiers, they are really going to feel the absence of 2025 All-American cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. Trying to neutralize Smith completely? Forget about it. The objective for Cignetti and his staff on Saturday is simply to keep Smith from having the kind of monster performance that can single-handedly swing the game in Ohio State’s favor. Good luck, because this “wow guy” is coming to Bloomington, and he is bringing the thunder.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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