Curt Cignetti used one word to describe Ohio State receiver, adds there’s 'no one like him'
· Yahoo Sports
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti isn’t one to throw flowers at players, but he made an exception on Monday for Jeremiah Smith ahead of his team’s much-anticipated showdown against Ohio State.
The No. 4 Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) are plenty familiar with the talented receiver having faced off against the Buckeyes (5-1, 3-0) each of the last two seasons.
Visit mchezo.life for more information.
After catching up on Smith's film from this season, Cignetti put Smith in a category of his own.
“Not only do they have a lot of excellent players, they have a wow player,” Cignetti said. “That's the only really word to describe him that I can think of.”
Through six games, Smith has 48 catches for 916 yards with 11 touchdowns, numbers all ranked second nationally. He’s just a couple weeks removed from single-handedly dominating Illinois by putting up career-highs across the board with 12 catches, 217 yards and four receiving touchdowns.
During that stretch, Smith set Ohio State’s career records in total receptions (211), receiving yards (3,474) and touchdown catches (38). With two scores against the Hoosiers, he would surpass Braylon Edwards for the Big Ten’s career touchdown reception record.
“He's taken it up a notch without question,” Cignetti said. “I think he has nine touchdown catches in the last three, four games. You know, there is no one like him right now playing at this level. We got two really good ones. He's a freak.”
The numbers back up Cignetti’s point.
According to PFF, he’s caught 10 receptions of 20-plus yards through the air, one fewer than IU has as a team. He’s also got the fourth-most yards after catch in the FBS (313 yards) and tied for the third-most contested catches (nine). Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin has a 148.0 passer rating when targeting Smith.
Smith had plenty of success against Indiana in last year's Big Ten title game with eight catches for 144 yards, but he only had three catches for 34 yards when the teams played in 2024. It remains the fewest yards he’s had against a Big Ten opponent in his career.
Indiana leaned on D’Angelo Ponds to defend Smith in both those matchups, a role that likely now falls to Jamari Sharpe. The fifth-year corner is the second-most experienced defender on the team with 31 career starts (1,842 snaps).
The Hoosiers will also need to get strong performances from whoever starts opposite Sharpe against the Buckeyes. The two-deep got a bit murky at the position after A.J. Harris replaced Jaylen Bell in the second half against Nebraska. It was the first snaps for Harris since he aggravated a knee injury in the season opener.
“We're going to have to do a great job on him,” Cignetti said.
Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar's Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the latest on IndyStar TV: Hoosiers.
.oembed-frame {width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;border:0;}
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Curt Cignetti used one word to describe Ohio State receiver, adds there’s 'no one like him'
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.