Ohio State's Smith fully healthy, looking forward to Cotton Bowl clash with hometown Hurricanes

“Going into that game, no, I was not 100%, I’m going to be honest with you,” said Smith, who had not done interviews since before catching three passes for 40 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown, in a 27-9 win. “I was still banged up a little bit, but right now, I’m back healthy — fully healthy — so should be good go.”

That means getting to take the field against a Miami squad that includes many other South Florida natives, including three who attended Smith’s alma mater, Chaminade-Madonna Prep — wide receiver Joshisa “JoJo” Trader, defensive back Chris Ewald Jr., and defensive lineman Donta Simpson.

“It’s truly special,” Smith said. “It’s something me and JoJo talked about since we were the age of 11 years old, and for us to be on the stage right now going against each in the Cotton Bowl, it’s something we dreamed of. I can’t wait to see him after the game and take pictures with him and say hi to his family.”

The second-seeded Buckeyes (12-1) began preparations Monday after 10th-seeded Miami (11-2) advanced with a 10-3 win at Texas A&M on Saturday.

Of course, Miami coach Mario Cristobal is well aware of the challenge Smith will pose his secondary on New Year's Eve.

“Elite player, great family, first class," Cristobal said Monday. “I mean, he’s an NFL-prototype player like right now, probably last year. I think him and the entire receiving core, they pose those type of challenges: Big, explosive, fast, create separation, beat man coverage, find the soft spots in zone, great blockers in the run game.”

Smith is a Buckeye rather than a Hurricane because Ohio State won a fierce recruiting battle for the nation’s No. 1-ranked prospect in the class of 2024.

Day began taking questions from local media for a press conference on National Signing Day without Smith having officially signed his paperwork, and the coach buckled his knees and feigned falling down when an assistant signaled to him the deal was done.

Since then, Smith has proven why.

He became an instant starter and caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards last season, including a 56-yarder against Notre Dame in the National Championship Game to convert a key fourth down.

This season he is a unanimous All-American with 80 receptions for 1,086 yards and 11 touchdowns, numbers the 6-3, 223-pound sophomore put up despite missing half of Ohio State’s 48-10 win over UCLA on Nov. 15 and all of the game against Rutgers a week later.

Smith revealed Monday what he was dealing with — specifically an issue with the rectus femoris muscle in the middle of the thigh — and said he came close to missing the game in Ann Arbor.

That prospect had him down in the dumps, but Day offered a pep talk during the week.

“Yeah, mind over matter,” Day said. “I remember sitting down and talking to him and saying, ‘You have to will yourself to be healthy.’ And he was wearing it early for a couple days, not to get too far into it. And I could see it on his face. Jeremiah cares a lot about his team. He loves Ohio State. He loves his teammates, and he loves playing the game. And for that to be taken away from him was not a good thing.

“I looked him right in the eye and I said, ‘Listen, no matter what happens, we’re going to go win that game with or without you.'”

Of course, the coach preferred to have him in the lineup rather than not, but he felt that talk eased his star pupil’s mind.

“It’s kind of like a weight got taken off his shoulders, and he willed himself to be healthy into that game and play in that game. And it’s tremendous," Day said. "He just did an amazing job. It goes to show you, when you set your mind to something, you can get it done, and he did it.”

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