Ohio State freshman Jeremiah Smith, a star wide receiver in the making, warned the Oregon Ducks about playing man coverage in the secondary.
There is just one day left until the Rose Bowl Game which has turned into one of the biggest rematches of the season. As the No. 1 Oregon Ducks prepare to take on the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes, an OSU star wide receiver had a message for the Ducks’ defense.
Freshman wideout Jeremiah Smith was blunt on Monday, at the Rose Bowl Game media day, and said that any team playing man coverage against the Buckeyes would be foolish.
“I’m just laughing in my head. Why are y’all really playing man-on-man against us, or against me, I should say?” Smith said. “And when we see man against any of our receivers, we’re going to take a shot down the field.”
When the Ducks and the Buckeyes faced each other during the regular season, Smith walked away with 9 receptions for 100 yards and 1 touchdown through the air. This time around, he wanted Oregon to know that setting up its cornerbacks in man coverage wouldn’t be a smart move.
“So, I’m just letting everybody know right now that if you play man Wednesday, we’re taking a shot,” Smith said. “They’re going to see a completely different player than the last time… It started with understanding the game plan and knowing what the defense is trying to do.”
Smith also shared that the Buckeyes team is angry and “pissed off” after its one-point loss to Oregon in October –– not to mention Ohio State’s loss to Michigan to close out the regular season.
“The way that last one ended doesn’t sit right with me,” said Ohio State quarterback Will Howard. “I’m just thankful for the opportunity that we get another crack at them.”
Oregon and Ohio State are scheduled to kick off at 2 p.m. PT from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA on Jan. 1, 2025. The game, along with the three other quarterfinal matchups, will be broadcast on ESPN.
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