Buckeyes' Star WR Jeremiah Smith Responds to Ridiculous Criticism After Oregon Game

Ohio State's hopes of a meaningful postseason went by the wayside on Saturday night against the Oregon Ducks. 

They came out and got thoroughly dominated from the second quarter through the final whistle. It was a horrible game all around for the Buckeyes, and in it, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was on camera, showing some very obvious frustration.

Smith, who is the very best player in college football, the frontrunner to win the Heisman Trophy and the easy button if the Buckeyes wanted to win a football game. Ohio State went a quarter and a half between Smith targets as they were getting pushed up and down the field.

After the game on the Snap Judgements episode, Ohio State beat reporters Austin Ward and Jeremy "Birm" Birmingham were discussing the game. While they debated back and forth, Birm called out Smith for his emotional outbursts during the game. He went as far as to call Smith a "petulant child," making it seem like Smith was completely in the wrong for showing emotion about not getting the football.

Smith, as everyone who has had the opportunity to talk with him knows, didn't go directly at the two reporters. Smith is very much on social media, and this clip absolutely blew up and was everywhere.

Then, on Sunday morning, former Buckeye LeCharles Bentley gave his thoughts on the matter. He put out a post on X that said Smith has been everything that we aren't used to in a superstar player and wide receiver. He is one of the most mature stars you will ever see and has the awareness and maturity of an adult. 

Further, Bentley said that "leadership" isn't about making people comfortable; leadership is about doing whatever it takes to put you and your teammates in a position to win. 

Everything that Bentley said was exactly right, and with one click of a button, Smith told the world he knew exactly what was said. Smith reposted Bentley, acknowledging that he saw the disrespect, heard the insane words, and voiced his opinion.

The kicker of this whole thing is that the one player who deserves to act in this way is Smith. He has never once begged for targets or demanded catches. On the contrary, they have just found him because he is so good.

He knew that his career as an Ohio State Buckeye was waning. He voiced his opinions, and from my perspective, there was nothing about what he did that was wrong or out of line.

His team gave up 38 unanswered points, and in that span, he had two catches. The best part was that when Ohio State remembered that they had him on their team, they scored two straight touchdowns.

Smith doesn't have to answer to anyone, and my opinion on the matter certainly doesn't mean anything to him. However, he did nothing wrong. I would be more concerned if he just took that loss on the chin.

The Buckeyes' chances at meaningful postseason football are over, and any criticism of Jeremiah Smith shouldn't be accepted, and they absolutely aren't accepted by him.