We are through the first five weeks of the XFL 3.0. Though it has been a wild ride for the league, it has been fairly boring if you are an Ohio State football fan.

Typically spring and alternative football leagues are a great way to watch some Buckeyes you may have forgotten. But this version has only two former Buckeyes on active rosters.

Former defensive tackle, Antwuan Jackson, is having a decent season as a starter for one of the better teams in the league, the Seattle Sea Dragons (3-2). Former running back Rod Smith has been the starter in a time-share situation for the Vegas Vipers (1-4), who are not having the best season.

Despite being in a running back by-committee situation in Vegas, Smith seems to have separated himself from the pack this past week during a 35-32 victory over the Orlando Guardians (0-5). Smith ran the ball 18 times for 62 yards and two touchdowns. If those numbers don’t sound dominant to you, you have not watched this underwhelming Viper offensive line.

Smith is the sixth leading rusher in the XFL on the season with 166 rushing yards. With Vegas making some lineup changes, perhaps we could see Smith in the end zone even more.

Smith was at Ohio State from 2011 until 2014 when he was dismissed from the team in October of that season. Smith declared for the NFL draft and went undrafted, but he was in the NFL with the Seahawks and Cowboys from 2015 until 2021 before moving on to the XFL.

Vipers TD Rod Smith #XFLVipers pic.twitter.com/AeRfkzZwZR

— Tony Cordasco (@TonyDasco) March 19, 2023

We’ll continue to keep an eye on Smith as he tries to make an impression in the XFL, along with other former Buckeyes in the league and the USFL that’s going to begin play this spring again soon.

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