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Jeremiah Smith preparing to face a lot of triple coverage this season
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Jeremiah Smith is already among the top overall players in the country as a rising sophomore for Ohio State. That means he’s also the top wide receiver in the nation, putting a big target on his back this fall.
With a new quarterback, and without the support of veteran Emeka Egbuka or the dynamic backfield duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, Smith is preparing for defenses to zero in on him to try and limit production. That’s what happened when Texas clamped down on the star receiver in the College Football Playoff, and it’s likely the gameplan on every team’s radar for 2025.
During Big Ten Media Days, Smith acknowledged he’s focusing on being a better teammate this season while preparing for the increased attention from defenses. If it works out, his teammates will have a chance to step up and make more plays in one-on-one situations.
“I know I’m going to get probably a lot of double coverage, triple coverage, but just staying within the game. I felt like I didn’t really do that when we played Texas last year,” said Smith. “I was getting in my head a lot because I wasn’t getting the ball a lot. But, just being a great teammate, and allowing my other teammates to eat.”
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We’ll see how it works out this fall, but analysts are already projecting a potential breakout for Smith’s WR counterpart, Carnell Tate. Tight end Max Klare is also a newcomer from Purdue who has the chance to further open up the passing attack.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.