Ryan Day shares visible sense of relief to Jeremiah Smith's final decision
Ryan Day addressed the media to discuss Early Signing Day. Day and Ohio State were also anxiously awaiting a major decision in the middle of his press conference.
At the same time Day was speaking, 5-star wide receiver and the nation’s No. 1 prospect in Jeremiah Smith was preparing to confirm his final decision. A longtime commitment to the Buckeyes, Smith stood strong and confirmed he would sign with the program.
In the middle of his press conference, Day was notified of Smith’s announcement. The head coach was momentarily incredulous and asked for confirmation.
He even feigned having his knees buckle while letting out an audible sigh of relief. Widely regarded as a generational talent, Smith gave a big boost to the 2024 recruiting class.
Ryan Day’s reaction to Jeremiah Smith’s final decision on Ohio State.
Via WBNS 10TV pic.twitter.com/GxMoMP8VVg
— Paul Harvey 🔨 (@HammerHarvey) December 20, 2023
As it turns out, Day had plenty of reasons to be nervous. Smith told reporters in attendance for his announcement that he was considering a flip to Miami in the final minutes before the reveal.
He even carried along a Miami hat in his bag to the announcement. Ultimately, the strong track record of Brian Hartline’s work with receivers won the day.
Jeremiah Smith said he had two hats in his bag: Miami and Ohio State. He ultimately decided in the final two minutes. He wanted to go to a place with a strong track record of first round picks. That was the difference. pic.twitter.com/OY2cy64sDq
— Manny Navarro (@Manny_Navarro) December 20, 2023
While Smith’s decision was confirmed, Day declined to comment on the specific player at his press conference until the official National Letter of Intent came through. However, Smith is undoubtedly a landmark piece of the 2024 recruiting class lined up to make a major impact.
