Ohio State football: Tyreke Smith working on little things

The Ohio State football team has a wealth of talent at defensive end. We look at Tyreke Smith now and how he looks to improve from a year ago.

When you listen to senior defensive end Tyreke Smith talk, two words are continually used. Little things. Smith speaks constantly of doing the little things. He speaks of defensive line coach Larry Johnson teaching of little things make big things. Smith is very big on little things.

When you look at last season you notice Smith had just one sack in the seven games he played. But, he pressured the quarterback more than any other Buckeye, and if you read my article on Coach Johnson yesterday, you know how he feels about quarterback pressures (read that here).

Smith had his best games of the season against Northwestern in the Big Ten championship and Clemson in the Sugar Bowl. He tormented Clemson’s left tackle Jackson Carmen time and again. Unfortunately, he missed the national championship game due to a positive COVID test.

Perhaps no other Ohio State football player suffered from the shortened season like Smith, because he was coming on like a freight train at what would have been the halfway point of a normal season.

After the 2020 season ended, Smith and Johnson sat down and watched each of Smith’s pass rushes. Smith said they were so meticulous in their evaluation of him they were going through plays frame by frame at times. He said they noticed he didn’t burst enough at the end of a rush and there were times he did not maintain good balance.

Smith said he’s spent spring practice working on all of those little things in order to get better. However, he’s not just talking on the field. Smith makes sure he’s eating right, giving a maximum effort in the weight room, and studies film of each practice so he can see what he needs to work on the next day. This is someone who does not waste any opportunity to improve.

While the Cleveland Heights native obviously has things he wants to work on, Coach Johnson doesn’t think a big overhaul is needed, “One thing I don’t want to do is change what he’s doing. He’s done a great job rushing the passer.” The veteran assistant coach said Smith has a great first step. It comes as no surprise Smith has spent time this spring working on the length of that first step.

Johnson believes Smith will continue to grow and we’ll see a completely different player on the field this fall, “I think Tyreke’s got a chance to be a really special defensive end.” Lofty praise from a coach who knows a thing or three about special defensive ends.

Smith has 4 sacks in 31 career games. In order to break into the top-twenty career sack leaders and get his name in the Ohio State football media guide, he’ll need 11 this season.

With all of the work and dedication to improving those little things, I don’t doubt Smith is going to make a real run at taking his place among the Buckeyes’ all-time great pass rushers.