Robert Griffin III and Desmond Howard trade personal insults while arguing over Jeremiah Smith’s big-game impact
Howard questions Smith’s big-game record
On ESPN’s First Take, Desmond Howard asked for an example of a game in the past two seasons when Jeremiah Smith made the difference for Ohio State in a major contest. Howard said Smith’s impressive numbers and catches were not enough without standout performances against top competition.
Howard, an ESPN College GameDay analyst, won the Heisman Trophy while playing for Michigan in 1991. His remarks circulated widely and drew a response from former Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, a Heisman winner who has backed Smith.
Griffin defends the receiver
During Fox’s Big Noon Saturday broadcast of Ohio State’s 28-19 win over Northwestern, Griffin challenged Howard’s criticism. He said Smith had shown up in major games and urged Howard to stop criticizing him because he attends Ohio State.
Griffin later posted a lengthy defense of Smith on X. He cited Smith’s performances against Texas, Iowa and Notre Dame, along with his career receiving totals and records, and called him one of college football’s greatest receivers.
The argument turns personal
Howard responded on X by calling Griffin’s post an attempt to manufacture a personal dispute for attention. He said Smith was an extraordinary talent, but argued that the question was whether Smith had been the difference in Ohio State’s biggest games as a Heisman candidate.
Howard said Griffin should challenge his football argument rather than make the exchange personal. He also invited Griffin to speak with him in person and said he did not want to continue the dispute on X.
Key points
- Howard questioned whether Smith had been the difference-maker in a major game over the past two seasons.
- Griffin defended Smith and cited his performances against Texas, Iowa and Notre Dame.
- Howard said his criticism concerned Smith’s role in major games, not his school.
- The former Heisman winners exchanged personal remarks on X.