It could come as a surprise to some that any receiver could manage to stand out in a game in which 10 different receivers caught passes for Ohio.
It could come as a surprise to some that any receiver could manage to stand out in a game in which 10 different receivers caught passes for Ohio.
Saturday, however, junior Sebastian Smith managed to do just that.
As quarterback Derrius Vick, and later in the game, redshirt junior Greg Windham, spread the ball around the gridiron, Smith proved again to be the star on the offensive end against Miami. He had five catches in the first quarter, totalling 66 yards, and finished the game with nine catches for 91 yards and a touchdown. Smith was targeted 12 times in the game.
“I think he’s a special receiver,” coach Frank Solich said. “He’s got great hands. He makes the routine plays, but he also makes the special plays look easy. We’re also starting to see some of his acceleration after he makes a catch and his ability to pick up yards after the catch. He’s a pretty big target, not a small guy by any means, so he’s got a lot of things going for him.”
Coming into the season, Smith was the most established receiver in Ohio's corps, but it still would have been difficult to predict the kind of breakout the junior has had in the first six games of the 2015 regular season. Many unproven, but promising, receivers appeared ready to climb the ranks, and the opportunity to emerge through as the legitimate "number one" guy seemed to be in anyone’s hands.
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But as Smith has shown, experience and reliability to can pay off in big ways. Smith leads the Bobcats in catches (27), yards (351) and touchdowns (4) through six games.
Saturday’s performance stands as Smith’s most prolific of the season, but the numbers haven’t always told the story of just how crucial his role on the offense has been. Against Minnesota, Smith made just four catches, but made three of those on third downs, often fighting off tight coverage from the Gophers to haul in difficult grabs, one of which resulted in a 31 yard pickup for Ohio.
After a brief letdown in Akron in which he caught just two passes for 10 yards, Smith got right back on track against Miami.
Not only was Smith proficient in the game on Saturday, but he was also a security blanket. Five of his targets came on third down, while five of his targets also came immediately following an incomplete pass. This means that not only is Smith looked at as the guy that is consistently looked at to keep a drive moving, but he is also looked at as the guy that can get Vick or Windham back into his rhythm.
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