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WR Jeremiah Smith (All B1G, B1G Frosh of Year, All-American)

I don’t know where the triple team comments come from. In the second half, they were playing 2 deep safeties on most plays.
Ideally, we should have run them out of that defense, but we all know that wasn’t effective because our OL was dominated.
Hard to get large gains on two deep. Need to patiently move the ball down the field. We just wasted too many plays on short runs and didn’t adapt to this failure.
Scheme up run after catch . We have two offensive geniuses I’ve been told.
 
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Caleb Downs and Seth McLaughlin Are Walter Camp First-Team All-Americans, Jeremiah Smith Makes Second Team​

By Andy Anders on December 12, 2024 at 10:25 pm @andyanders55
Caleb Downs

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Caleb Downs and Seth McLaughlin have landed on their third first-team All-American list together this postseason, though this one is the most prestigious.
On Thursday, Ohio State's star safety and center were named Walter Camp first-team All-Americans on ESPN's College Football Awards show. Freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith received second-team honors, adding another accolade to a historic freshman season.
Smith is the first freshman wide receiver in Ohio State history to be named a first- or second-team All-American.
Here is the nation's oldest college football All-American team - the 135th edition of the @WaltercampFF 1st and 2nd teams https://t.co/VoPUVl0Bty pic.twitter.com/kWYhR2XiZ8
— Walter Camp Football (@WalterCampFF) December 13, 2024
McLaughlin and Downs previously landed first-team All-American nods from CBS Sports and The Athletic. The Walter Camp All-American team is the first of the five All-American teams that determine which players are consensus and unanimous All-Americans. The other four from the AFCA (Friday), AP (Monday), FWAA (Tuesday) and Sporting News (Wednesday) will be announced over the next week.
Downs has been a superstar in Ohio State's defense since transferring in from Alabama this past offseason, playing in the box, in the slot and most prevalently back deep at safety. He's the top tackling non-linebacker on the team and third in tackles overall with 62 takedowns in 2024. His missile-like nose for the ball shows in his 6.5 tackles for loss, and he's added an interception with three pass breakups.
Downs was also a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award during Thursday’s night awards show, but that award went to Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron.
McLaughlin's selection as a Walter Camp first-teamer only further solidifies his place as college football's best at his position after he collected the Rimington Trophy on Thursday, awarded annually to the best center in college football. He spearheaded an early-season resurgence of Ohio State's offensive line, proving dominant as both a run and pass blocker for 10 games before he tore his Achilles in practice, ending his season.
Smith set Ohio State's single-season freshman records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns this year with 57 catches for 934 yards and 10 scores. He is also one of five finalists for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, which will be announced on Dec. 29.
Downs, McLaughlin and Smith were each also named first-team All-Big Ten, with Smith earning Big Ten Receiver and Freshman of the Year honors and Downs winning the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year Award.


 
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Caleb Downs is now a consensus All-American.

Already a Walter Camp Football Foundation and American Football Coaches Association All-American, Downs added first-team All-American honors from the Associated Press on Monday. While Downs is the lone Ohio State representative on the first team, Jeremiah Smith, Seth McLaughlin and Donovan Jackson appeared on the second team while Lathan Ransom appeared on the third team.
Downs was Ohio State’s top defender in the regular season, collecting 62 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, one interception and three pass breakups while becoming a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and Bednarik Award. He also became the first Buckeye to record a punt return touchdown since 2014 when he made a 79-yard house call in the team’s 38-15 win over Indiana.

 
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Even with all the expectations, I didn't think he'd have the year he did or garner a 1st and 3 2nd team AA nods. Especially considering he was never fed the ball, didn't have any huge yardage games, and his targets dropped off after NW.

Speaks to his incredible consistency along with talent. Feed him the ball. Don't worry about deep shots, just get him the ball however you can.
 
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Even with all the expectations, I didn't think he'd have the year he did or garner a 1st and 3 2nd team AA nods. Especially considering he was never fed the ball, didn't have any huge yardage games, and his targets dropped off after NW.

Speaks to his incredible consistency along with talent. Feed him the ball. Don't worry about deep shots, just get him the ball however you can.
One wrinkle to the offense I did like was the jet sweep to JJ. Use it somewhat sparingly so it doesn't become predictable, but that is another great way to get him the ball.

But yeah, same here on expectations. As an avid follower of recruiting, I knew this kid was special and would make an immediate splash. I didn't know he would take over games and be an AA his frosh year though. I thought MH Jr was going to be the best WR we see at OSU for a long time...turns out we only had to wait a year.
 
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One wrinkle to the offense I did like was the jet sweep to JJ. Use it somewhat sparingly so it doesn't become predictable, but that is another great way to get him the ball.

But yeah, same here on expectations. As an avid follower of recruiting, I knew this kid was special and would make an immediate splash. I didn't know he would take over games and be an AA his frosh year though. I thought MH Jr was going to be the best WR we see at OSU for a long time...turns out we only had to wait a year.

Yep, definitely sweeps, hoping for a few new screens that Kelly seems to actually be able to make successful, and hopefully more slants/digs/whatever to get him the ball quicker without letting the defense bracket him or roll a safety over the top. Even if he has 10 catches for 80 yards, at least they worked on getting him the ball all game.
 
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One wrinkle to the offense I did like was the jet sweep to JJ. Use it somewhat sparingly so it doesn't become predictable, but that is another great way to get him the ball.

But yeah, same here on expectations. As an avid follower of recruiting, I knew this kid was special and would make an immediate splash. I didn't know he would take over games and be an AA his frosh year though. I thought MH Jr was going to be the best WR we see at OSU for a long time...turns out we only had to wait a year.

That's great and all but I think we can all agree that his real value is as a decoy so the inside run game can be more effective.

Bill-Murray-Laughs-Then-Turns-Sad.gif
 
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