As is accustomed at all major college football programs, assistant coaches meet with the players they govern to discuss where things stand, what is coming next and where things must improve. Call it a State of the Unit, if you will.
When Zach Smith did it with Ohio State's receivers ahead of this year's spring practice, though, there was a little bit of an edge to his voice. After the Buckeyes struggled to do much throwing the ball last season outside of Curtis Samuel and Noah Brown — both who left early for the 2017 NFL Draft — the spotlight and pressure only mounted on a position that must produce.
“Coach Smith is taking a different approach this year. He's telling us that he's going to be more on his stuff than last year,” redshirt sophomore K.J. Hill said on Monday after practice. “We all came together in a meeting, so we know that he's on a different tip this year with doing things different.”
Smith didn't see his tone or subject matter in this meeting diverging from what he has done in the past, despite what Hill said. It was just another get together for Ohio State's returning wide receivers — those of just a combined 55 returning career catches among them.
“I do that all the time. It wasn't like it was a come to Jesus meeting. Pretty much after every phase of everything,” Smith said on Monday of the meeting. “Could be after winter conditioning, could be after the season, after spring ball, after summer.”
But for a group that is a massive piece of a much-scrutinized passing game in Columbus, the wide receivers have to show an improvement with so much production gone. Parris Campbell is who Urban Meyer says is the team's No. 1 receiver right now, moving inside to what appears to be a more natural fit at H-back. Hill showed glimpses a year ago but dealt with an injury and missed three games. Terry McLaurin caught two touchdowns, but only 11 passes in 13 games. Binjimen Victor rose toward the end of the season and Austin Mack really only played on special teams. Once again, Johnnie Dixon fought through problems with his knees.
There are question marks everywhere. Samuel, Brown and Dontre Wilson and their combined 133 catches, 1,619 yards and 19 touchdowns aren't coming back.
“That's really what [the meeting] was. 'Hey, here's where we are,’” Smith said. “I wanted it to be crystal clear on what needed to improve it. It's definitely happening. Definitely happening.”
Campbell shredded defenses in high school playing running back, which is why the move to H makes so much sense now that both Samuel and Wilson are gone. Dixon showed some speed on the outside during Saturday's Student Appreciation practice. Victor has practiced the last few weeks in a non-contact jersey after Smith said he "got dinged up" a little bit, but said he believes the sophomore will play in the spring game on Saturday.
The three receivers reporters spoke to on Monday — Hill, Campbell and McLaurin — all spoke highly of their unit, which isn't surprising.
But they also all brought up a higher sense of urgency this spring with J.T. Barrett, new offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson and new quarterbacks coach Ryan Day. And, Smith.
“I feel like there was a little bit of a gap but at the same time we have the players to do it it's just the consistency that we need. And now there's such a clear objective of what's expected from the head coach, the offensive coordinator and Coach Smith,” McLaurin said. “Now it's our job to do it as players. If you don't then you're just not going to play.”
“Coach Smith is taking a different approach this year. He's telling us that he's going to be more on his stuff than last year.”– K.J. Hill
Added Campbell: “We came out here with a chip on our shoulder this spring knowing we had to improve just from our past years and not having as successful a season as we wanted. We knew we had to take a big step and this spring, that’s what we’re doing.”
Whether or not that is true comes full circle on Saturday at Ohio Stadium. Doing good things in practice is much, much different than on such a huge stage in front of a large crowd. Smith said he isn't sure of his top-6 receivers yet for that reason.
He needs to see who truly takes what was said in that meeting to heart and applies it on game day.
“Saturday is the day where you see if they can go out, on the field, no coaches on the field and go make the same plays that they made in practice,” Smith said. “Because really all of the situations they're going to face Saturday, they've been in a number of times. So I already have a good answer if they're going to or not going to. This is just going to add that element of the stage.”
