Marshall's Randy Moss has the Eastern Michigan defense falling at his feet during second quarter action on Saturday, Oct. 25, 1997, at Marshall Stadium.
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) makes a catch as Oregon defensive back Dontae Manning (8) defends during the first half in the quarterfinals of the Rose Bowl College Football Playoff, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Marshall's Randy Moss has the Eastern Michigan defense falling at his feet during second quarter action on Saturday, Oct. 25, 1997, at Marshall Stadium.
Randy Snyder
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) makes a catch as Oregon defensive back Dontae Manning (8) defends during the first half in the quarterfinals of the Rose Bowl College Football Playoff, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Some ESPN commentators during Ohio StateÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s 41-21 rout of Oregon in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday said Buckeyes star Jeremiah Smith was the best freshman wide receiver theyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™d ever seen.
Perhaps. HeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s not, however, the best freshman pass-catcher IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve watched. Close, but not the best. That honor remains firmly in the sure hands of Randy Moss.
Yes, but Moss was a freshman against then-NCAA Division I-AA competition in 1996, some might argue. Furman and Chattanooga arenÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t Oregon and Tennessee. It doesnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t matter. They couldnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t cover Moss, either.
The Dallas Cowboys couldnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t stop Moss, as he proved on Thanksgiving Day of his rookie season. Moss cooked Dallas with three catches for 163 yards and three touchdowns.
Moss and Smith are strikingly similar, though, as Smith is 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and Moss measures at 6-4, 210. Their leaping ability, sure hands and athleticism are mindful of one another.
Moss was significantly faster, running 40 yards in 4.2 seconds to SmithÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s 4.52, and therein is much of the difference. Moss made it look easy, so much so some thought he was giving less effort than he was when he appeared to effortlessly glide down the sideline, leaving defenders breathlessly trying to catch him.
The similarities were most glaring when Oregon attempted to cover Smith one-on-one Wednesday. Smith plucked the Ducks for seven receptions for 186 yards and two touchdowns.
On Sept. 27, 1997, Ball State inexplicably tried to single-cover Moss with Rafael Ball, a cornerback who went on to the Miami Dolphins, and he torched the Cardinals for 32 points ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” five touchdowns and a two-point conversion ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” in a 42-16 Thundering Herd rout.
Later that season, in the Motor City Bowl, Mississippi lined up in single coverage on Moss on the HerdÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s first offensive play of the Motor City Bowl at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. Everyone in green knew what was coming.
Moss blew by the Rebels cornerback for an 80-yard touchdown pass from Chad Pennington.
Unlike Ball State, Ole Miss adjusted.
My pal Jerod Smalley of WCMH-TV in Columbus wrote that Smith might be the best athlete in Ohio since LeBron James. He could well be, although Elly De La Cruz might figure in somewhere.
Moss literally was a pro-caliber athlete in multiple sports at DuPont High. He easily couldÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve played, and starred in, college basketball and earned a shot at the NBA. His track and field exploits couldÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve made him some money on that circuit, although paltry compared to the $82.5 million he reportedly made in the NFL.
Major League Baseball scouts said Moss couldÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve been a spectacular center fielder. In the big leagues? Who knows. Trying to hit Uncle Charlie has been the undoing of many a stud athlete.
Smith is great, a joy to watch as a spectator and a monster to try to cover as a defensive back. HeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a rare talent who comes along every once in a great while.
In this case, that ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œgreat whileÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ is 27 years ago, when Moss was generating similar reactions at Army when he hurdled one defender, stiff-armed another and raced 90 yards for a score.
The Carolina Panthers scout next to me that day in the press box in West Point, New York, sat with his jaw dropped as he watched MossÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ extraordinary play. The scout then leaned back in his chair, smiled and closed his notebook. HeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™d seen all he needed to see.
