Jeremiah Smith 'never wavered' prior to signing per Brian Hartline
Jeremiah Smith signing with Ohio State was never in jeopardy in the eyes of Brian Hartline.
The 5-star receiver and No. 1 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class did indeed sign with the Buckeyes on Early Signing Day. It goes down as another massive recruiting win for Hartline, Ohio State’s offensive coordinator and impact recruiter as the wide receiver coach.
Smith’s signing came after a long delay to kick off the early period with some reports swirling about a potential flip for the star prospect. However, Hartline said at his Wednesday press conference for the Cotton Bowl that Smith and his family were consistent in their commitment to the finish line.
“I guess I’ll say this about Jeremiah: He never wavered. His family never wavered. He can say what he wants 2 minutes before the hat came out, but he always told me the same thing,” Hartline claimed. “His parents always told me the same thing. From his family to him, everything.”
The reference to the hat is to Smith telling reporters that his final decision on signing day came down to the last few minutes, indicating he also brought a Miami hat to his reveal. However, Hartline reiterated the Smiths were “loyal” and stuck to their word throughout the recruiting process.
Hartline is also excited to finally get a chance to work with Smith when he arrives on campus in a few weeks:
“The reality of college football is you guys see it. You guys the clicks and the conversations and those kinds of things. And that’s all I can say. His family is loyal, they always did what they said and I can’t thank them enough,” said Hartline. “I’m really excited for him and we’ll see him here in a couple weeks.”
