There’s always a coach behind the greatest of players who trusted and believed in them despite all odds. These coaches are seldom remembered and are only reduced to being found in the ‘bibliography’ page of a player’s biography. But, without these coaches, the players wouldn’t have reached the heights they do. The story of Jeremiah Smith is quite the same. It involves a coach who believed in the player and saw what everyone couldn’t.
Ryan Day is someone who is widely said to be the coach who gave Smith the platform he wanted. But he wouldn’t even have joined Ohio State if Brian Hartline hadn’t seen what anyone couldn’t see in Jeremiah Smith. Hartline joined the Buckeyes in 2017 as an offensive quality control assistant and climbed up the ladder gradually to co-offensive coordinator and WR coach. However, prior to his coaching career, he played for the Buckeyes from 2006 to 2008. And then played in the NFL for six seasons. And, after so much persistence and hard work, his ultimate wish was fulfilled.
He has been promoted to the position of offensive coordinator after the departure of Chip Kelly to the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL. It will also see that Hartline would be making close to $2 million. Since Chip Kelly made the same amount when he left. The move came as a bit of a shock for the fans. Since it was widely reported that someone from the outside would be given the responsibility. However, Ryan Day’s motivation to make Hartline the OC was primarily driven by Hartline’s relationship with Jeremiah Smith. And in a bid to keep the player in the Buckeyes’ jersey for a long time. Brian Smith, the ‘Locked on Buckeyes’ host, provided the update.
“They (Ohio State) just upped the ante a little bit. By bringing in Brian Hartline as the offensive coordinator, not just the receiver coach, not just co-cordinator. He is now the OC for the Buckeyes. What does that do for recruiting? It is the most important thing in the Ohio State football world to keep Jeremiah Smith a Buckeye “. The statement presents something of a friendly relationship between the player and the newly appointed OC. As he had a big role in his recruitment. But how did he convince Jeremiah to join Ohio State?
Sep 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brain Hartline talks to the team before the game against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Brian Smith provided facts and said that it’s almost certain now that Jeremiah Smith will remain at Ohio State for very long. “He is the reason that Jeremiah signed out of South Florida to go to Ohio State, and he will remain at Ohio State. I just guarantee you because Hartline is staying in Columbus.” Jeremiah Smith was first scouted by Hartline himself when he was a freshman at Chaminade-Madonna High School. At that time, the consensus was that he was good. But not on the level that he is now. Then Hartline changed all that with his second visit and convinced his coach, Geno Smith Sr.
“I think Hartline saw that J.J. was coachable,” said Geno Smith Sr. “If he feels like someone can help him get better, he’s going to listen, he’s going to learn, and he’s going to pick it up pretty quick.” And that’s how began the remarkable journey of Jeremiah Smith that we will see more of in the future years. Moving on, we know Chip Kelly departed very abruptly after only one season, but why did he depart? Let’s see.
Reason for Chip Kelly’s departure
Well, Chip Kelly joined the program when Ryan Day was mainly leading the play-calling responsibilities in 2023 and was not doing a very good job. Kelly stayed for only the 2024 season, helped Ohio State win the elusive natty trophy, and quietly went to the NFL. No harm done, right? Well, many fans said the move was sort of a betrayal to them, as he had taken up the same OC job at the Raiders, too. But Kelly provided his reasoning behind the move.
Kelly opened up in his recent interview, “This opportunity came up after we beat Notre Dame. And I started to think about it a little bit, you know. And I said I would only go somewhere where I felt really confident in the alignment from the ownership to the personnel to the head coach, and I really felt that when I met with Pete Carroll.” He also said that the transition from his head coach job at UCLA was mainly because of his love for coaching football from the grassroots level.
Whatever may be the case, Chip Kelly has now departed, and Brian Hartline has some very massive shoes to fill. Furthermore, Ryan Day’s DC Jim Knowles had also departed to Penn State. That may ultimately see Ryan Day hiring a new DC from outside at Ohio State.
The post Ryan Day Forced to Make $2M Call for Jeremiah Smith’s Future as Chip Kelly Confirms Stance on OSU Betrayal appeared first on EssentiallySports.
