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OSU assistant Smith starts Twitter trend with surrealistic view of new job
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There might be some subtle recruiting advantages.
Zach Smith's approach to social media might well be the envy of a professional marketer, but the new Ohio State wide receivers coach isn't necessarily trying to sell anything with the trending topic he has made popular in the last few months.
All he wants to do is give a glimpse at how overwhelming it might be for a lifelong Buckeyes fan to suddenly have an office off a hallway that pipes in clips of Woody Hayes or be required to attend staff meetings with a Heisman Trophy winner, both of which helped give birth to the idea for the tongue-in-cheek Twitter posts tagged with #BuckeyeNationProblems.

"The stuff I put on there, it's not marketing or recruiting, it's legitimately that I sit there and think, 'Holy cow, I'm sitting next to Eddie George in a staff meeting.' Are you kidding me?"
Smith has shown plenty of humor on Twitter (@CoachZachSmith), though the facts he has thrown out in front of his hashtag aren't meant to be punch lines.
There have been video clips linked to significant plays in Ohio State history, such as David Boston's short-handed punt return for a touchdown against Pitt in 1996.
He has thrown in references to the size of the crowds in front of which he'll get to coach this fall as another "issue" the Buckeyes have to deal with.
But just another day at work can spark an idea for a tweet from Smith, depending on what trophy he happens to stroll past or which legend pops on to campus for a visit.
Zach Smith
- Position coaching: Receivers
- High school: Dublin (Ohio) Coffman
- College: Florida (2007)
- Years coaching: 8 (2 full-time)
- Family: Wife, Courtney; son, Cameron
- Coaching resume: Florida (special teams quality control, 2005-07; offensive graduate assistant, 2008-09); Marshall (wide receivers and special teams, 2010); Temple (wide receivers and special teams, 2011)
"The social media stuff, I like to put it out because I think people like to get a glimpse of what's going on here, inside, and also because it's what I think or feel about what's going on."
Smith certainly isn't the only member of Urban Meyer's new Ohio State staff to embrace Twitter as a way to connect with the public and offer an insider's perspective. But he has established himself as the most prolific user.
With no shortage of tradition or records, successful coaches or award-winners at his disposal, one problem Smith doesn't figure to have is running out of things about which to write.
"You know what? I think in coaching that a lot of times, at a lot of places, people just go to work, work hard, go home and raise their family and don't ever take in what's going on," Smith said. "To sit at your desk and hear Woody Hayes in the hallway -- that kind of thing doesn't happen at Microsoft, unless they have clips of Bill Gates.
"And if they did, I'm sure that would be an unbelievable experience for somebody that loved Microsoft their whole life."
Zach Smith's #BuckeyeNationProblems
A sampling of the trending topic Ohio State's new wide receivers coach uses as part of his inside look at his dream job:
- 6:00 AM staff meeting - Look over and Eddie George is sitting in on the Meeting... SMH #BuckeyeNationProblems
- Trying to decide if you want to watch the game on the field -- or on the 1,600 INCH HD SCOREBOARD #BuckeyeNationProblems
- Largest BCS School in America, Largest Alumni in America, Largest Spring Game Crowd in America & Best Fans in America #BuckeyeNationProblems
- What a day! Talked to Buckeye Greats Joey Galloway AND Terry Glenn (Arguably the 2 Best WR in Buckeye History) SMH: #BuckeyeNationProblems
- Reporter for BuckeyeNation
- Covers Ohio State sports and recruiting
- Joined ESPN in 2012
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