Chip Kelly is one of the more brilliant offensive minds in football. But that doesn't mean he can't borrow from other innovative playcallers from time to time.
On Jeremiah Smith's 19-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, Kelly appeared to borrow from Kansas City Cheifs head coach Andy Reid's playbook, using an end-around concept that Reid schemed up for Xavier Worthy's first career touchdown in the NFL.
Touchdown, @OhioStateFB
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 29, 2024
Jeremiah Smith has a TD in all 4 games so far as a freshman pic.twitter.com/IZ0TYEUf1n
XAVIER WORTHY HAS ARRIVED.
— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2024
: #Kickoff2024 on NBC/Peacock
: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/0612BrVxlJ
With his 19-yard score, Smith becomes the fifth different Ohio State wide receiver to score a rushing touchdown since 2021, joining Garrett Wilson (Purdue in 2021), Emeka Egbuka (Toledo and Northwestern in 2022), Xavier Johnson (Indiana in 2022) and Marvin Harrison Jr. (Michigan State in 2023). He also becomes the first freshman pass catcher to rush for a score since Ted Ginn Jr. against Oklahoma State in 2004.
Smith has five total touchdowns in four games for the Buckeyes, a number that leads Ohio State's wide receivers. Egbuka and Carnell Tate are the only other receivers to collect receiving touchdowns this season, with Egbuka scoring against Marshall and Tate scoring against Akron.
NOTE: Smith added his sixth total touchdown later in the second quarter via an incredible one-handed catch.
