Ohio State's offense has gone up against two Power 4 defenses. Both times, Jeremiah Smith went over 100 yards. Against Illinois, he went over 200 yards and caught four touchdown passes in a 42-19 win last weekend.
The second-best receiver against the Longhorns had 37 yards, though. The second-best receiver against the Fighting Illini had 36. Against Texas, the No. 2 receiver was Bo Jackson. Against Illinois, the No. 2 receiver was H-back Nate Roberts.
This isn't a sustainable offensive system when the opponents get tough.
One would've thought that the lesson would've been learned against the Longhorns after blowing a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Heading into Week 5, we still don't know.
The running game has produced three 20-plus-yard runs all season, and Smith is the only player who caught a 20-plus-yard pass against Texas and the Illini.
The offense rests on JJ Smith's shoulders. Arthur Smith needs to change that, but he doesn't sound willing to.
Arthur Smith wants to get Jeremiah Smith the ball as much as possible
Arthur Smith is trying to produce a Heisman winner. That's how his desire to force-feed Smith the ball in the offense comes off, anyway.
"When you've got a player like Jeremiah, it's hard not to give him the ball whichever way you can," Arthur Smith said this week.
Back in August, he asked if there was ever such a thing as giving the ball too often to Jeremiah Smith.
You understand not wanting to leave anything on the table by not seeing how much you could get out of JJ Smith in his final season in Columbus.
At what cost, though?
Arthur Smith cannot allow Ohio State's offense to become predictable
For better or for worse, you know what Arthur Smith's offense is going to bring. Unfortunately, that currently includes a running game that lacks push and a passing game that has tunnel vision.
Credit Julian Sayin for being more elusive in the pocket. While he hasn't become a bona fide running threat as promised, he's been hard to bring down. Sayin was sacked twice by the Longhorns' vaunted defensive front, and just three times otherwise.
Sayin was supposed to be a situational runner, though, not the next Tim Tebow. He was really supposed to do his damage through the air. He had two veteran transfers join the mix and a talented 2026 high school class as freshmen.
Thus far, not one of them has broken out.
UTSA transfer Devin McCuin had early-season promise, but he has had trouble getting open. True freshman Chris Henry Jr. has been a star against inferior competition but stands to prove himself when the competition steps up. Brock Boyd is in the same boat as Henry.
Unless JJ Smith has an all-time receiving season the rest of the way, which is absolutely possible, to be honest, then Arthur Smith will probably have some explaining to do by season's end.
It's nice to know how to coach a star, but you have to coach the entire offense.
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