Jeremiah Smith turned toward the Ohio State sideline and unleashed a visible, seething tirade at his coaching staff during Saturday’s 41-28 loss to Oregon.
The Buckeyes wide receiver, who finished the game with seven catches for 133 yards and one touchdown, displayed his frustration by flexing muscles and flaring his nostrils toward the men in headsets while the team trailed 31-14 with six seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Despite the loss, Smith has maintained elite production throughout the season. Through nine games, he is the only player in college football with at least 70 catches and 1,000 yards. During the contest against Oregon, he tied Oregon State’s Jesse Legree for the national lead in touchdown receptions with 14. His performance comes while facing constant double-teams designed to limit his involvement.
The outburst against Oregon follows previous instances where Smith expressed dissatisfaction with how the offense was being utilized. During a 19-15 victory against Indiana, Smith ripped off his helmet to express displeasure to the staff when the Buckeyes struggled in the red zone.
In that game, the team ran three plays involving several tight ends that resulted in a loss of one yard before Smith was put back into the game. Following that sequence, the Buckeyes scored a touchdown when Julian Sayin hit Bo Jackson in the flat.
“I was pretty upset about that on the sideline,” Smith said following the Indiana game, though he added, “We ended up scoring, so it doesn’t really matter at that point.”
The Buckeyes’ recent struggles, including their third loss of the season, cast doubt on the team’s postseason trajectory. While quarterback Julian Sayin has been sidelined with a season-ending injury, concerns have been raised regarding the coaching staff’s ability to utilize Smith effectively. There are concerns that because three-loss teams do not make the playoff, Smith may fade from Heisman Trophy and Biletnikoff Award conversations if the Buckeyes continue to lose.
