There have been comparisons to Randy Moss, Saquon Barkley, and many others by head coaches when talking about Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith. While there's likely not a great comp, the end goal is the same -- emphasizing just how spectacular a player Smith is.
When No. 4 Ohio State arrives in Bloomington on Saturday for a top-5 showdown with Indiana, it'll be the toughest test for the Hoosiers, and their defense, to date. Indiana ranks outside the top-50 in coverage grade, according to Pro Football Focus, and has struggled to contain big chunk plays in the passing attack for much of the season -- even dating back to last year.
Smith, who comes in averaging 19.1 yards per catch and second in the nation with 152.7 receiving yards a game, has
the combination of speed and physicality that doesn't bode well for the Hoosiers' secondary.
"We got two really good ones (wide receivers). He's (Smith) a freak. We're going to have to do a great job on him," Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said on Monday. "Not only do they have a lot of excellent players; they have a wow player. That's the only really word to describe him that I can think of."
The 'good ones' that Cignetti is referring to are Nick Marsh and Charlie Becker -- arguably the best receiving duo in college football. That's positive for Indiana's defensive backs heading into a matchup with Smith; they've been practicing against this pair of receivers since the spring. While neither is the type of player Smith is, they are both potential first-round selections in nearly every mock draft.
Cignetti has gone up against Smith twice in the last two years. In 2024, Indiana held him to 34 yards on three catches, albeit in a wet and cold day that was highlighted by numerous miscues on IU's side. Last year in the Big Ten Championship game, Smith went for 144 yards on eight catches -- with 46 yards coming on the last play of the game. He was also held to just three catches for 24 yards in the second half before that final play.
Entering this season, Cignetti knows there will be a few tweaks from an offensive standpoint with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith calling plays, but knows Ohio State's offense is still headlined by Smith.
"Any time you have a new coordinator (Arthur Smith), there will be some subtleties, but they still run the ball well, really. They throw the ball really well. They are very efficient, effective. They do a lot of the really nice stuff," Cignetti said. "They move Jeremiah around quite a bit. He's taken it up a notch without question. I think he has nine touchdown catches in the last three, four games. You know, there is no one like him right now playing at this level."
It'll be the matchup to watch on Saturday, and while the expectation is he will still get his chunk yardage and big plays, Indiana is hoping to limit the damage in key moments as it did a year ago.
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion.
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Curt Cignetti describes Jeremiah Smith in one word ahead of Saturday
