"They Was on Me": Jeremiah Smith Reveals OSU Coach Forced Him to Change Under Strict Rules
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When it comes to the Michigan and Ohio State rivalry, both teams leave no stone unturned. One intriguing and hilarious incident involves Buckeyes star wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith. During his recruitment, he perfectly captured just how intense this historic rivalry can be.
“Yeah, that’s true. My high school’s colors, and I went up there after the game,” Smith said with a mischievous laugh onCBS College Football on August 21, when asked if he actually wore blue on his recruiting trip. “Well, early the next day, in the morning, I wore blue, and Coach Hartline and Coach Keenan Bailey, they was on me about that. So, I had to go get clothes real quick.”
“I was going to say, what do you do?’ ‘They make you burn them on the spot,’ Aaron Taylor asked. “No, I had to after I did my little tour and everything; I had to go to like a store or something and get some Buckeye stuff,” Smith continued.
Smith was a student of the Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School. Funnily enough, his high school’s jersey colors were blue and red. During his recruitment trip to Columbus, he made the mistake of wearing dark blue clothing on campus.
Wide receivers coach Brian Hartline and tight ends coach Keenan Bailey immediately told him that those colors are not acceptable at Columbus. Smith quickly changed into Ohio State gear to respect the team culture.
The wide receiver now laughs at that interaction. But it was the exact moment he realized just how deeply the coaching staff hates the “team up north.” Smith has had two career games against Michigan. He scored a touchdown in each matchup. Across those two high-stakes contests, he totaled 8 receptions for 75 yards and 2 touchdowns.
In 2024, Smith encountered his most challenging game of his freshman season. Michigan’s secondary game-planned heavily around him, keeping a safety over the top to limit his explosive deep routes. After a bitter 10-13 loss, Smith made a promise that this was never going to happen under his watch again.
“For the next two years, I promise you, I will not lose to them,” Smith said. “I can’t lose to them in the next two years.”
He successfully delivered on the first half of that promise. Smith led the Buckeyes to a dominant 27-9 victory inside Michigan Stadium. The wide receiver had suffered a severe rectus femoris (quad) strain earlier in November. He was forced to sit out the Week 13 game against Rutgers. But he pushed through intense physical therapy to suit up for rivalry week.
Throughout rivalry week, students, staff, and city officials use red tape to cross out every single letter “M”. It is done on campus signs, building markers, and street names. Signs are transformed into phrases like “Beat Xichigan” or “Xen’s Restroom”. The campus strictly avoids using the letter online or in official graphics. Even local businesses and the Columbus police participate in the blackout.
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