Steve Sarkisian Warns Texas Longhorns About Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith

The Texas Longhorns will have their hands full in week one as they take on Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) tries to get open against Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron (7) in the fourth quarter of the Cotton Bowl Classic during the College Football Playoff semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on January, 10, 2025. | Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Media Days for the power four conferences around the country finish this week, meaning fans are one step closer to college football being back on their TV on Saturdays.

The highly-anticipated matchup between the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes will take center stage on Aug. 30, in Columbus. The Buckeyes will begin their title defense while Texas searches for its first national championship in 20 years.

Talent will be all over the field for both teams, with the Longhorns getting ready to showcase what their top-rated defense can do. They begin the season with a tall task of stopping the highest-rated receiver in college football, Jeremiah Smith.

Sarkisian: "You'd Better Know Where No. 4 Is"

In an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Longhorns' head coach Steve Sarkisian talked about the matchup his defense will face against Smith, even offering up a small warning for his team to be aware of where the star wideout is at all times.

“Ideally, you’ve got multiple people with eyes on him and guarding him, but you still have to play great team defense and you’ve got to have the ability to stop the run and you’ve got to cover the other two wideouts they have that are two really good players, too," Sarkisian said. "I do think the multitude of things that you can do well, but you'd better know where No. 4 is at all times.”

The First-team All-American was electric his freshman season in 2024, finishing with 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns. Many believe he will be even better this upcoming season as the college level slows down for him even more.

Sarkisian expects Smith to be a matchup nightmare for his team and knows the first-year offensive coordinator will move him around to exploit the coverages, saying:

“I do think at the end of the day, A, that’s where your attention needs to be. But, hey, they’ve got really good coaches. He’s going to be moving around. He’s not going to be lining up in one position all the time.”

High Praise From Sarkisian

Sarkisian is no stranger to great college wide receivers. He coached Matthew Golden last season and also spent time with Julio Jones at Alabama. He also compared Smith to Julio Jones.

“You know, it’s interesting," Sarkisian said. "I had a chance to coach Julio Jones for two years in Atlanta. Reminds me a lot of him. So big and physical but yet fast. I mean cover ground, so strong at the point of attack when the ball’s in the air. You see, just the ability to make contested catches.”

The Texas Longhorns will get their chance to stop Jeremiah Smith when they travel to Columbus, Ohio, to take on the Buckeyes on August 30 at 11 A.M. Central.