COLUMBUS, OH — As Ohio State prepares for the semifinal showdown in the Rose Bowl game, head coach Ryan Day called out the key contributions of dynamic receiver Jeremiah Smith and quarterback Will Howard. These two players have played massive roles in what has become a dynamic and challenging team this season, and their influence will be watched on New Year’s Day against the Oregon Ducks.
Jeremiah Smith was recognized as offensive player of the game against Tennessee in their opening round matchup victory, that is a player whose influence usually supersedes standard accounting, has an often overlooked attribute. Day was asked what Smith’s most underrated trait is on the team and when facing opponents?
“Probably his size. He is, you know, when you get up on him, how big he is, how big he plays. This physical presence allows Smith to maximize his effective size, making him even more challenging to face on the pitch,” he said.
Coach Day urged Smith to “play big, strong, powerful,” which speaks to the physicality required in the upcoming rematch between the two teams.
Ohio State’s plan relies on a fully collective display by its receiving corps. Smith has repeatedly proved that he’s worth whatever he gets, with receivers regularly coming open and making big-time plays. Day pointed out the excellent job wide receivers coach Brian Hartline did to prepare the players to meet the challenge once more.
“We’ll need them all in this game,” Day said regarding all the wide receivers.
Quarterback Will Howard has proven to be a leader and a swift game planner. During the last one, Day praised Howard’s growth as an elite leader in the game on the field when he finds his groove early. Ultimately, the intricacies of how Ohio State intends to dissect defenses is an important part of Howard’s job. Day referenced a level of comfort and familiarity that Howard must have commanding the offense.
“When the play caller and the quarterback are on the same page … that’s gonna mean that he knows what we’re trying to get done.”
It is clear that Howard is looking forward to playing the Oregon Ducks. It is not just to run through the motions of set plays, but to play chess like they do with a deep cerebral process behind it and executing the plan like a well-oiled machine.
“It’ll be big to put together another good game plan and then, you know, make the plays out on the field,” Day said.
As the Ohio State squad gears up for this critical revenge battle, this collaborative blend of imagination of Howard’s spot-on instruction with the physical might of Smith could be the foundation to their success.
As Ryan Day’s Ohio State Buckeyes rely on the two-headed monster of Smith’s brute strength and Howard’s cerebral approach under center, Smith’s invitation suggests Ohio State isn’t as far removed from the Big Ten’s structure as you may think. As they prepare to take on Oregon, it may come down to how these two guys step up not just to carry the team into this next phase, but also to embody the vision and fighting spirit toward a Rose Bowl win and ultimately a National Championship victory.
