Analyst Breaks Down How Texas Longhorns Defended Jeremiah Smith in CFP

Smith accumulated 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns as a true freshman last year, turning heads across the nation with his performances. He threatened defenses pretty consistently throughout the season, establishing himself as one of the strongest receivers in college football last year.

That being said, the standout recorded just one reception for three yards against Texas in the College Football Playoff last season. Austin noted that Texas’ ability to shut Smith down was in large part due to the effectiveness with which they were able to run their zone defense, deny blocks and make small screen passes inefficient.

Smith’s sole reception of the game didn’t result in a big gain for him, which helps demonstrate the way in which the Longhorns’ defense collapsed on him before he could build momentum and move very far forward. Austin mentioned that the receiver typically succeeded at turning short receptions into large gains, and the only way to overcome Ohio State is to prevent smaller plays from becoming massive gains due to Smith’s dynamic playmaking ability. 

It's worth noting that former Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron primarily defended Smith last year, but now that he has departed for the NFL, new roleplayers like Jaylon Guilbeau, Malik Muhammad and Kobe Black will have to step up for this defense.

Double and sometimes even triple-teaming Smith was also a tactic that Texas sometimes resorted to, but this resulted in other players coming up big for the Buckeyes. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline are very talented when it comes to designing offensive routes and plays, and even a defense as strong as Texas’ last year had a hard time shutting it down. 

This isn’t a playoff game, and the stakes aren’t as high as they were back in January, but this game has been surrounded by high anticipation. A Week 1 matchup between the No. 1 and 3-ranked preseason teams promises high engagement from each fanbase, and it will be interesting to see how each squad approaches the challenge.