Ohio State Football: The impact of WR coach Zach Smith’s firing
By Chris Bruns
How will the firing of assistant coach Zach Smith earlier this week impact the Ohio State receiving corps in 2018 and beyond?
No one knows exactly what happened in the instances of alleged abuse outlined in the Domestic Violence Protection Order filed by Zach Smith’s ex-wife except the persons involved. The details reported about the situation, if proven to be true, are alarming and saddening. They were enough to cost the WR coach his job on Monday.
Ohio State acted swiftly and decisively in terminating Smith, the last remaining member of Urban Meyer’s first staff in Columbus. In addition to coaching the receivers, Smith has served as OSU’s recruiting coordinator since 2015.
From a personal perspective, the situation is tragic for all involved. From a football perspective however, Smith’s firing creates a huge void on the field and off.
On the field
Smith’s Zone 6 unit promised to be one of the team’s most exciting this year. The group returns more experience than any unit in recent memory, with all six named starters from last year back for another shot at a title.
From an x’s and o’s standpoint, this year’s receivers are well equipped to withstand the loss of a position coach. Seniors Parris Campbell, Johnny Dixon, and Terry McLaurin have been in the program seemingly since the Clinton administration, and are widely considered among the strongest leaders in the locker room. Juniors KJ Hill, Austin Mack, and Binjimen Victor aren’t exactly rookies.
A younger, greener receiving corps might be negatively affected by the coach’s dismissal. This veteran group shouldn’t be.
Then there’s the cold, hard truth that Smith’s strengths on the staff may not necessarily have been on the coach-em-up side.
The receiving unit has often been accused of underperforming under Smith’s watch. Some of that was the product of a sometimes-stagnant offense relying on the QB run, or inaccuracy at the quarterback position.
But Smith has never been regarded as more than an average position coach – a shortcoming more than made up for by his prowess as a recruiter. That deft recruiting touch may well be missed in the coming years. For this season, however, Smith’s absence might not be felt much.
In fact, the blow of Smith’s firing may be softened by who the Buckeyes already have in-house.
Former OSU receiver Brian Hartline has served as an intern and a quality control coach working with Zone 6 since being cut by the Cleveland Browns in 2016. Letterman Row reports that Hartline has been named the interim receivers coach, a move that ensures continuity at the position. Hartline’s promotion would keep the upheaval caused by Smith’s firing to a minimum.