The Ohio State Buckeyes put their re-tooled football team on display at the annual spring game on Saturday at Ohio Stadium. There was a special treat for supporters who couldn’t attend, since the game was televised on national over-the-air television on FOX.
The Ohio State Buckeyes put their re-tooled football team on display at the annual spring game on Saturday at Ohio Stadium. There was a special treat for supporters who couldn’t attend, since the game was televised on national over-the-air television on FOX.
Analyst Joel Klatt acted as sideline reporter with total access before, during and after play and coach Ryan Day and many players were subject in-game interviews.
Klatt, like the rest of the viewing public, was enthralled with freshman wideout Jeremiah Smith – the No. 1 rated prospect in the nation for the class of 2024.
“There is some serious chatter — and I know Brian Hartline will not be happy about me saying this — but there is some serious buzz around Jeremiah Smith,” Klatt remarked on his podcast. “… Being around him, seeing him in person and watching him play, he’s the real deal. He will be one of the better players in college football. Not only one of the better rookies, but one of the better players in college football. I truly believe he is one of the most unusual talents at that age in a long time.”
Smith grabbed just two balls for 12 yards on Saturday in limited time on the field, but his play throughout the spring has been remarkable.
Smith’s fellow wideout Emeka Egbuka was likewise limited in time on the field but walked away with four catches for 47 yards and one carries for four yards. Klatt was similarly thrilled with the senior’s performance.
“This guy would be WR1 on 99.9% of teams but Ohio State keeps bringing in the top talent in the country that takes away some of his touches,” Klatt said. “We believed Egbuka would finally get to be WR1 this fall, but the early returns on No. 1 recruit Jeremiah Smith have been so good that possibly he’ll take this place by fall camp. Anyway, returning to Egbuka: He’s versatile enough to play anywhere on the field, is a superb route-runner and causes damage in the open field while missing exceptional pace.”
