Jeremiah Smith taking on Miami (Fla.) in more ways than one – News-Herald

December 26, 2025 Admin

The record books show that the last battle between Ohio State and Miami, in 2011, went the way of the Hurricanes.

But the Buckeyes won a recruiting skirmish with Miami on the recruiting trail in 2023, nabbing Jeremiah Smith out of Chaminade-Madonna College Prep in Hollywood, a suburb of Miami. To pluck a player ranked No. 1 in the class right out of the Hurricanes’ backyard was huge, and though there were some anxious moments in the hours leading up to Smith signing with Ohio State, it eventually worked itself out.

Smith is proud to be a Buckeye, and he does not let folks back home forget.

“I know I have to keep my emotions,” the sophomore wideout said. “A lot of guys on this Miami team I played with or against in high school. I’ve got to keep my emotions because it’s going to be a little chippiness out there.”

Check out social media at any time during the day, and you are likely to see Miami fans hurling invectives at Smith – traitor, sellout, not as good as you think you are. Some of it stems from the 2002 Fiesta Bowl when Ohio State knocked off the Hurricanes in double overtime in what Miami believes was controversial fashion.

Smith just takes it all in stride and is looking forward to renewing acquaintances in the Cotton Bowl.

“They still talk about it 20 years later,” Smith said. “All over the internet, all over Twitter. They’re still worried about it, but we’ve got something for them come New Year’s Eve.”

Even with the back and forth, Smith is smart enough to know Miami’s defense is legitimately scary.

“Miami’s defense is very good,” Smith said. “That front is something special. You got Rueben Bain, got a good interior, got a good back end, their linebackers are very good. Our mentality right now is to just go out and dominate everybody in front of us.”

For the first time in his career Smith dealt with something he could not just run past – injury. He suffered a core strain in the days leading up to Ohio State’s Nov. 15 contest with UCLA and played just the first half before exiting. He sat out the Rutgers game, and there was real concern from both his camp and the coaching staff about his availability for the Buckeyes’ crucial rivalry tilt with Michigan.

“It was just a little adversity,” Smith said. “Something I never really had to deal with. I’ve never been hurt. But that was something serious I had to deal with. After the Rutgers game, I was feeling down. I was debating if I was going to play or not because it was really bad. But I had to do everything for the team, and I wanted to be out there and I did everything I could and we got the win.”

Ohio State coach Ryan Day said there were anxious moments in the days and hours leading up to Michigan, but he put faith in the training staff and in Smith’s resolve and mental fortitude.

“If people really knew leading up to that game what he went through to get himself healthy to play and play the way he did without really practicing that much that week, you’d be amazed,” Day said. “I remember sitting down and talking to him and saying, ‘You have to will yourself to be healthy.’ He was wearing it for a couple of days. I could see it on his face. Jeremiah cares a lot about his team. He loves Ohio State. He loves his teammates. And for that to be taken away from him was not a good thing.

“I looked him right in the eye and said, ‘Listen, no matter, JJ, what happens, we’re going to go win that game with or without you. We need you and we want you in the game.’ And it’s kind of like a weight got taken off of his shoulders, and he willed himself to be healthy into that game and play in that game. He just did an amazing job. It goes to show you when you set your mind to something you can get it done.”

Smith had three catches for 40 yards against the Wolverines, and his second-quarter 35-yard touchdown put the Buckeyes up, 10-6, a lead they never relinquished.

Smith gained All-America honors for the second straight season and ranked among the nation’s top 10 in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Ohio State fans wondering whether Smith will be 100% against Miami can breathe easier.

“I’m back healthy, fully healthy, so should be good to go,” Smith said.