Sebastian Smith overcame physical injuries and returned to the team to score the second-most yards for Ohio and averages 32 yards a game.
When Sebastian Smith is targeted by an Ohio quarterback, chances are he’s going to catch the ball.
Smith has made a handful of receptions this season that have earned himself national exposure on weekly highlight reels, including a mention on ESPN’s SportsNation after the Bobcats’ Oct. 25 game against Western Michigan.
On that particular play, Smith lined up as a slot receiver on first down and ran a corner route toward the sideline. Although he had at least a step on his defender, redshirt sophomore quarterback JD Sprague’s pass was a bit long. That didn’t matter to Smith, though.
He fully extended his left arm and dove for the ball. He ended up reeling in the pass for a 33-yard catch to move Ohio downfield, before standing up and brushing his jersey off as if it was routine.
Despite the degree of difficulty, Smith has been making highlight reel-esque catches look easy all season.
“When the ball’s in the air, I just go for it — it’s just like second nature,” he said. “It’s a blessing.”
Smith, a sophomore from Columbus-area Pickerington High School Central, leads the Bobcats with 24 receptions and is tied for the team-high with two touchdowns. He’s also totalled 284 receiving yards, the second-most for Ohio, and is averaging almost 32 yards per game.
“It’s really exciting, and really humbling as well, to get exposure nationally,” Smith said. “I’m just coming out here and trying to make plays on the ball.”
Although he’s played every game this season and appeared in 11 games last year as a true freshman, Smith’s collegiate career didn’t begin as planned. A member of the 2012 recruiting class, the 6-foot-3, 183-pound receiver broke his leg in fall camp that year and was ruled out for the entire season. Because the fall semester hadn’t started, he didn’t attend classes until the spring in 2013 in order to avoid losing a year of eligibility.
Since recovering and emerging as a focal point of the offense, coach Frank Solich has applauded Smith’s efforts on every down.
“You know that he’s always got a chance. When the ball’s in the air and he’s around, he’s got a great opportunity and a great chance to bring it down,” Solich said. “He’s got a chance to develop into an outstanding receiver.”
“I think there’s a point where that will come into play where he is the receiver that he can be. He’s kind of pounding on the door now.”
Solich continued to say there are more players in the system that are able to make big plays then they’ve possibly ever had in his 10 years at Ohio. That’s something the offense has been grateful for, especially after Sprague and redshirt junior Derrius Vick have split time at quarterback throughout the year.
“Anytime you have somebody that’s out at receiver that will sacrifice their body just to catch the ball for you gives you confidence,” Vick said.
Wide receivers coach Dwyane Dixon says Smith has all the attributes a coach looks for in a receiver: great hand-eye coordination, size and speed. He and Solich, however, want more consistency from him in all aspects from blocking to catching the ball.
Smith says he’s still working on his techniques and fine-tuning the little things like route running when he’s being covered, which Dixon said is up for Smith to decide if he can continue to improve on a consistent basis.
“His ceiling can be what he makes it,” Dixon said. “He knows how to do things, he’s just got to continue to work at it and not get complacent where he is right now.”
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