Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith had a strong reaction to the departure of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who is leaving the Buckeyes to take on the same role with the Las Vegas Raiders under head coach Pete Carroll.
Smith, a standout freshman from Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School in Florida, took to social media to express his disappointment, posting a single word: “Nooooo.”
The Buckeyes ended the 2024 season on a high note with a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff National Championship. However, the program has since lost two key coordinators. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles recently accepted the same position at Penn State, and now Kelly has chosen to return to the NFL.
During his time under Kelly, Smith quickly established himself as one of the top wide receivers in college football. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound freshman finished the season with 57 receptions, 934 yards, and 10 touchdowns, earning first-team All-American honors and being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Kelly, who had two years remaining on his Ohio State contract, will have to pay a $350,000 buyout—considerably less than Knowles—before officially transitioning to the Raiders, as reported by Joey Kaufman of The Columbus Dispatch.
The former Buckeyes offensive coordinator has spoken highly of Smith, praising his dedication and maturity beyond his years. Reflecting on the young receiver’s talent, Kelly once said, “Yeah, that’s the one thing about JJ. He’s a tremendous athlete, and that kind of struck me the first time I saw him. I’m like, wow, who is that kid? But then his work ethic—it’s not typical of a 17-year-old. And I say that because he was 17 when he first got here. I think he just turned 18, but he is like an old soul. He’s like a guy that’s been in the NFL for 10 years and just wants to work on his craft.”
Kelly has extensive experience at both the college and professional levels. After coaching at Oregon, he spent four seasons in the NFL as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers from 2013 to 2016 before returning to the college ranks.
