Troy Smith
Encyclopedia
Troy James Smith is an American football
quarterback
for the Omaha Nighthawks
of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens
of the NFL in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Ohio State
.
Smith has also played for the San Francisco 49ers
. He won the 2006 Heisman Trophy
, his senior year with the Buckeyes
. He took 86.7% of the first place votes, a record that still stands today.
, then moved to the Glenville
neighborhood of Cleveland.
Smith first brought out an interest in playing football in Cleveland, where he played for the Glenville A's, initially as running back
and tight end
. Irvin White, his coach, moved Smith to quarterback after a few games and Smith stayed in the position.
In 1993, Smith was placed in foster care with Diane and Irvin White while his mother dealt with personal issues.
in Lakewood, Ohio, but was thrown off the team after elbowing an opponent in the head while playing in a varsity basketball game. He transferred to Glenville High School
in Cleveland
, Ohio
shortly thereafter.
Smith graduated from Glenville where he was coached by Ted Ginn, Sr.
, father of his teammate Ted Ginn, Jr.
Interestingly, Smith and Ginn went on to play together at Ohio State. After his junior football season in high school, Smith was invited to participate in the Elite 11 competition, featuring the eleven top ranked high school quarterback prospects in the US. He earned good praise following his performance, and although it was relatively late in the recruiting process, Ohio State offered Smith a football scholarship. He verbally committed to the Buckeyes
, signing his letter of intent
on February 6, 2002, the last player for the upcoming season.
Smith threw for 969 yards and 12 touchdowns in his senior year. He played alongside current San Francisco 49er, Ted Ginn, Jr.
, while leading Glenville to the state playoffs.
Smith also played three years of basketball and ran track (high jump, long jump and 1,600-meter relay). West Virginia University
and Ohio State recruited him. Smith accepted the last scholarship of Ohio State's 2002 football recruiting class.
freshman
for the Buckeyes, Smith played sparingly at running back
and kick returner
in 2003.
Smith played the season opener against Washington
as a scatback and returner, and he compiled fourteen yards rushing and 83 return yards. After the game, he came on the NFL scouting radar as an "athlete."
He entered his sophomore season as the backup quarterback to Justin Zwick
, but took over as the starter when Zwick was injured halfway through the 2004 season against Iowa
. Smith won four of the five games he started in 2004, including a victory over the archrival Michigan Wolverines
. Smith was suspended for breaking an undisclosed team rule before the Alamo Bowl
, with Coach Jim Tressel
extending the suspension to include the first game of the 2005 season after it was revealed that Smith had accepted $500 from a booster.
With Smith at QB, Ohio State lost only two games in the 2005 regular season, and in only one of those, was Smith the starter. The first was to the eventual BCS National Champion
Texas Longhorns
(which he did not start) and the other was to the Penn State Nittany Lions
, co-Big Ten champions. Smith's 2005 stats included 2,282 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. This led to a passer rating
of 162.66, the fourth-highest of the season. He rushed for 611 yards and 11 touchdowns on 136 carries. In January 2006, he was named the Offensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl
, after leading the Buckeyes to a 34-20 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
.
In the second week of the 2006 season, Smith and the Buckeyes took revenge for their 2005 loss to Texas. The top ranked Buckeyes won their rematch with the (again) second-ranked Longhorns, 24-7. Smith went 17-27 with 269 yards passing, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. For many fans and analysts, Smith's performance against the Longhorns gave credibility to the preseason Heisman Trophy hype he'd received. His passing statistics improved during the 2006 season, completing 67% of his passes for 2,507 yards, with 30 touchdowns and five interceptions. This led to a quarterback rating of 167.87, again fourth in the country.
Smith was one of five finalists for the 2006 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
, given to the top senior college quarterback.
Teammates voted Smith the 2006 most valuable player. On 2006-12-07 the Davey O'Brien Foundation awarded Smith the Davey O'Brien Award
for best college quarterback. He defeated other finalists Colt Brennan
of the University of Hawaii
and Brady Quinn
of the University of Notre Dame
.
In three games against Michigan, Smith has a total of 1,151 yards of total offense, two rushing touchdowns, and seven passing touchdowns. The Buckeyes won all three games, making Smith the first Ohio State quarterback since Tippy Dye
(1934–1936) to quarterback in three victories over Michigan, and the first to win three straight games against Michigan as a starter.
Smith's college football career came to an end on January 8, 2007, when he and the Ohio State Buckeyes
were beaten by the Florida Gators
in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game
, 41-14. Smith completed just four of 14 passes for 35 yards along with an interception, a fumble, and was sacked 5 times.
He graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications.
In 2010, Adam Rittenberg
of ESPN listed Smith as the "Big Ten player of the decade."
(2nd) from Arkansas and senior QB Brady Quinn
(3rd), from Notre Dame.
In winning the 2006 Heisman, Smith took 86.7% of the first place votes, a record that has not been broken. His tally of 2,540 votes was the third largest behind that of the then-2005 Heisman Trophy winner, Reggie Bush
of the University of Southern California
(2,541 votes) and 1968 Heisman winner O.J. Simpson who also played for USC (2,853 votes). His margin of victory (1,662 votes) was also the second largest in the history of the award, eclipsed only by O.J. Simpson who won by 1,750 votes.
Troy Smith joined Les Horvath (1944), Vic Janowicz (1950), Howard "Hopalong" Cassady (1955), Archie Griffin (1974 and 1975) and Eddie George (1995) as Ohio State Heisman winners.
. Despite winning the Heisman Trophy, Smith saw his draft stock drop considerably after the 41-14 loss to Florida in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game. At 6'0", his height (considered smaller than ideal) was cited as a liability. Smith was quoted by the media urging his hometown team, the Cleveland Browns
, to select him in the NFL Draft. Fans also set up a website urging the Browns to take Smith. However, the Browns drafted Brady Quinn
22nd overall in the 2007 NFL Draft
reducing the chances of Smith going to Cleveland.
On Day 2, Smith was finally drafted at the end of the fifth round by the Baltimore Ravens. He signed a three-year contract with the Ravens on July 24, 2007. On August 27, 2007 Drew Olson
was released by the Baltimore Ravens elevating Smith to the third string quarterback position. Smith was named second-string quarterback for the Ravens on November 13, 2007, backing up new starter Kyle Boller
after a shoulder injury to starter Steve McNair
. Ravens head coach Brian Billick maintained that Smith could be used in the future. "That's going to be a fun challenge for Troy, because now he's been around enough," Billick said. "The focus and attention that he brings to [preparing] is heightened."
Smith got his first regular season playing time in the fourth quarter of the home game against the Indianapolis Colts
on December 9, 2007, completing three of five pass attempts and scrambling 6 yards for his first NFL touchdown in the 44-20 loss. After his relative success against the Colts, many Baltimore Ravens fans were calling for Smith to replace Kyle Boller as the Ravens' starting quarterback. On December 16, 2007 Smith came in for an injured Kyle Boller in the game against the Miami Dolphins. Smith led the Ravens down the field for a field goal that forced overtime. The Ravens lost 22-16 in overtime, after a missed 44 yard field goal. On December 20, 2007, Kyle Boller officially was considered the backup due to injury for the Week 16 game, giving Troy Smith his first professional start against the Seattle Seahawks. He completed fewer than 50% of his passes and fumbled twice in this game. The Ravens lost 27-6, scoring a touchdown with about four minutes to play and the game out of reach. In Week 17 the Ravens beat the Steelers with Troy Smith starting again. He went 16-of-27 for 171 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions and no fumbles lost. This was the Ravens first win since Week 6, ending a 9-game losing streak with a bye at Week 8.
Smith finished his rookie season by totaling 506 total yards and three touchdowns in four games. He had 452 yards and two touchdowns passing and rushed for 54 yards and one touchdown.
Smith was scheduled to start in the third preseason game of the 2008 season
, but became ill with a rare disease called Lemierre's syndrome
. Due to Smith's illness, rookie Joe Flacco
was named to the Ravens' starting QB position. Early in the season Smith re-emerged in the offense as part of their two-quarterback offense, and was utilized for short-yardage runs. This offense featured Smith lining up at the wide receiver spot as well as under center. Smith appeared in only six of the Ravens' 19 games and had a total of 4 passing attempts for 82 yards in the 2008 season.
For the 2009 season
, Flacco was named the starting quarterback for the second consecutive year, while Smith was active for only four of sixteen games. Smith completed five of nine passes for 24 yards with one interception during the season. In addition, he also rushed eight times for thirty-one yards, including his career-long fifteen-yard touchdown run.
Smith re-signed with the Ravens for one-year worth $1.101 million. Smith received the low 5th round tender as a restricted free agent. However, no team was willing to part ways with the coveted pick so Smith was not traded. After signing Marc Bulger
as the team's backup to Joe Flacco
, the Ravens released Smith on September 4.
.
On Oct 27, Troy Smith was announced as the starter, replacing an injured Alex Smith
for San Francisco's game Oct 31 vs the Denver Broncos in London, England. During this game Smith ran for one TD and threw to Michael Crabtree
for another in a 49ers win. Smith actually excelled in the second half by going 8 for 10 for 159 yards, and leading the Niners to three fourth-quarter touchdown drives. The Niners won the game, 24-16. For Smith's quality performance, he was named Sports Illustrated NFL Offensive Player of the week.
On Nov 14, Troy Smith led the 49ers to an overtime victory over the Rams. Smith out-dueled Rams rookie Sam Bradford
in this Heisman trophy quarterback matchup. He threw for 356 yards, one touchdown and ran for 12 yards without being intercepted.
On Nov 15, Troy Smith was named the new starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.
As of November 29, after a Monday night win over the Cardinals, Smith was 3-1 as the 49ers starting QB. In week 16, Smith was named the starting QB against the St.Louis Rams.
Smith was not re-signed by the 49ers.
of the United Football League on September 2, 2011.
quarterback
for the Omaha Nighthawks
of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens
of the NFL in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Ohio State
.
Smith has also played for the San Francisco 49ers
. He won the 2006 Heisman Trophy
, his senior year with the Buckeyes
. He took 86.7% of the first place votes, a record that still stands today.
, then moved to the Glenville
neighborhood of Cleveland.
Smith first brought out an interest in playing football in Cleveland, where he played for the Glenville A's, initially as running back
and tight end
. Irvin White, his coach, moved Smith to quarterback after a few games and Smith stayed in the position.
In 1993, Smith was placed in foster care with Diane and Irvin White while his mother dealt with personal issues.
in Lakewood, Ohio, but was thrown off the team after elbowing an opponent in the head while playing in a varsity basketball game. He transferred to Glenville High School
in Cleveland
, Ohio
shortly thereafter.
Smith graduated from Glenville where he was coached by Ted Ginn, Sr.
, father of his teammate Ted Ginn, Jr.
Interestingly, Smith and Ginn went on to play together at Ohio State. After his junior football season in high school, Smith was invited to participate in the Elite 11 competition, featuring the eleven top ranked high school quarterback prospects in the US. He earned good praise following his performance, and although it was relatively late in the recruiting process, Ohio State offered Smith a football scholarship. He verbally committed to the Buckeyes
, signing his letter of intent
on February 6, 2002, the last player for the upcoming season.
Smith threw for 969 yards and 12 touchdowns in his senior year. He played alongside current San Francisco 49er, Ted Ginn, Jr.
, while leading Glenville to the state playoffs.
Smith also played three years of basketball and ran track (high jump, long jump and 1,600-meter relay). West Virginia University
and Ohio State recruited him. Smith accepted the last scholarship of Ohio State's 2002 football recruiting class.
freshman
for the Buckeyes, Smith played sparingly at running back
and kick returner
in 2003.
Smith played the season opener against Washington
as a scatback and returner, and he compiled fourteen yards rushing and 83 return yards. After the game, he came on the NFL scouting radar as an "athlete."
He entered his sophomore season as the backup quarterback to Justin Zwick
, but took over as the starter when Zwick was injured halfway through the 2004 season against Iowa
. Smith won four of the five games he started in 2004, including a victory over the archrival Michigan Wolverines
. Smith was suspended for breaking an undisclosed team rule before the Alamo Bowl
, with Coach Jim Tressel
extending the suspension to include the first game of the 2005 season after it was revealed that Smith had accepted $500 from a booster.
With Smith at QB, Ohio State lost only two games in the 2005 regular season, and in only one of those, was Smith the starter. The first was to the eventual BCS National Champion
Texas Longhorns
(which he did not start) and the other was to the Penn State Nittany Lions
, co-Big Ten champions. Smith's 2005 stats included 2,282 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. This led to a passer rating
of 162.66, the fourth-highest of the season. He rushed for 611 yards and 11 touchdowns on 136 carries. In January 2006, he was named the Offensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl
, after leading the Buckeyes to a 34-20 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
.
In the second week of the 2006 season, Smith and the Buckeyes took revenge for their 2005 loss to Texas. The top ranked Buckeyes won their rematch with the (again) second-ranked Longhorns, 24-7. Smith went 17-27 with 269 yards passing, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. For many fans and analysts, Smith's performance against the Longhorns gave credibility to the preseason Heisman Trophy hype he'd received. His passing statistics improved during the 2006 season, completing 67% of his passes for 2,507 yards, with 30 touchdowns and five interceptions. This led to a quarterback rating of 167.87, again fourth in the country.
Smith was one of five finalists for the 2006 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
, given to the top senior college quarterback.
Teammates voted Smith the 2006 most valuable player. On 2006-12-07 the Davey O'Brien Foundation awarded Smith the Davey O'Brien Award
for best college quarterback. He defeated other finalists Colt Brennan
of the University of Hawaii
and Brady Quinn
of the University of Notre Dame
.
In three games against Michigan, Smith has a total of 1,151 yards of total offense, two rushing touchdowns, and seven passing touchdowns. The Buckeyes won all three games, making Smith the first Ohio State quarterback since Tippy Dye
(1934–1936) to quarterback in three victories over Michigan, and the first to win three straight games against Michigan as a starter.
Smith's college football career came to an end on January 8, 2007, when he and the Ohio State Buckeyes
were beaten by the Florida Gators
in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game
, 41-14. Smith completed just four of 14 passes for 35 yards along with an interception, a fumble, and was sacked 5 times.
He graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications.
In 2010, Adam Rittenberg
of ESPN listed Smith as the "Big Ten player of the decade."
(2nd) from Arkansas and senior QB Brady Quinn
(3rd), from Notre Dame.
In winning the 2006 Heisman, Smith took 86.7% of the first place votes, a record that has not been broken. His tally of 2,540 votes was the third largest behind that of the then-2005 Heisman Trophy winner, Reggie Bush
of the University of Southern California
(2,541 votes) and 1968 Heisman winner O.J. Simpson who also played for USC (2,853 votes). His margin of victory (1,662 votes) was also the second largest in the history of the award, eclipsed only by O.J. Simpson who won by 1,750 votes.
Troy Smith joined Les Horvath (1944), Vic Janowicz (1950), Howard "Hopalong" Cassady (1955), Archie Griffin (1974 and 1975) and Eddie George (1995) as Ohio State Heisman winners.
. Despite winning the Heisman Trophy, Smith saw his draft stock drop considerably after the 41-14 loss to Florida in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game. At 6'0", his height (considered smaller than ideal) was cited as a liability. Smith was quoted by the media urging his hometown team, the Cleveland Browns
, to select him in the NFL Draft. Fans also set up a website urging the Browns to take Smith. However, the Browns drafted Brady Quinn
22nd overall in the 2007 NFL Draft
reducing the chances of Smith going to Cleveland.
On Day 2, Smith was finally drafted at the end of the fifth round by the Baltimore Ravens. He signed a three-year contract with the Ravens on July 24, 2007. On August 27, 2007 Drew Olson
was released by the Baltimore Ravens elevating Smith to the third string quarterback position. Smith was named second-string quarterback for the Ravens on November 13, 2007, backing up new starter Kyle Boller
after a shoulder injury to starter Steve McNair
. Ravens head coach Brian Billick maintained that Smith could be used in the future. "That's going to be a fun challenge for Troy, because now he's been around enough," Billick said. "The focus and attention that he brings to [preparing] is heightened."
Smith got his first regular season playing time in the fourth quarter of the home game against the Indianapolis Colts
on December 9, 2007, completing three of five pass attempts and scrambling 6 yards for his first NFL touchdown in the 44-20 loss. After his relative success against the Colts, many Baltimore Ravens fans were calling for Smith to replace Kyle Boller as the Ravens' starting quarterback. On December 16, 2007 Smith came in for an injured Kyle Boller in the game against the Miami Dolphins. Smith led the Ravens down the field for a field goal that forced overtime. The Ravens lost 22-16 in overtime, after a missed 44 yard field goal. On December 20, 2007, Kyle Boller officially was considered the backup due to injury for the Week 16 game, giving Troy Smith his first professional start against the Seattle Seahawks. He completed fewer than 50% of his passes and fumbled twice in this game. The Ravens lost 27-6, scoring a touchdown with about four minutes to play and the game out of reach. In Week 17 the Ravens beat the Steelers with Troy Smith starting again. He went 16-of-27 for 171 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions and no fumbles lost. This was the Ravens first win since Week 6, ending a 9-game losing streak with a bye at Week 8.
Smith finished his rookie season by totaling 506 total yards and three touchdowns in four games. He had 452 yards and two touchdowns passing and rushed for 54 yards and one touchdown.
Smith was scheduled to start in the third preseason game of the 2008 season
, but became ill with a rare disease called Lemierre's syndrome
. Due to Smith's illness, rookie Joe Flacco
was named to the Ravens' starting QB position. Early in the season Smith re-emerged in the offense as part of their two-quarterback offense, and was utilized for short-yardage runs. This offense featured Smith lining up at the wide receiver spot as well as under center. Smith appeared in only six of the Ravens' 19 games and had a total of 4 passing attempts for 82 yards in the 2008 season.
For the 2009 season
, Flacco was named the starting quarterback for the second consecutive year, while Smith was active for only four of sixteen games. Smith completed five of nine passes for 24 yards with one interception during the season. In addition, he also rushed eight times for thirty-one yards, including his career-long fifteen-yard touchdown run.
Smith re-signed with the Ravens for one-year worth $1.101 million. Smith received the low 5th round tender as a restricted free agent. However, no team was willing to part ways with the coveted pick so Smith was not traded. After signing Marc Bulger
as the team's backup to Joe Flacco
, the Ravens released Smith on September 4.
.
On Oct 27, Troy Smith was announced as the starter, replacing an injured Alex Smith
for San Francisco's game Oct 31 vs the Denver Broncos in London, England. During this game Smith ran for one TD and threw to Michael Crabtree
for another in a 49ers win. Smith actually excelled in the second half by going 8 for 10 for 159 yards, and leading the Niners to three fourth-quarter touchdown drives. The Niners won the game, 24-16. For Smith's quality performance, he was named Sports Illustrated NFL Offensive Player of the week.
On Nov 14, Troy Smith led the 49ers to an overtime victory over the Rams. Smith out-dueled Rams rookie Sam Bradford
in this Heisman trophy quarterback matchup. He threw for 356 yards, one touchdown and ran for 12 yards without being intercepted.
On Nov 15, Troy Smith was named the new starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.
As of November 29, after a Monday night win over the Cardinals, Smith was 3-1 as the 49ers starting QB. In week 16, Smith was named the starting QB against the St.Louis Rams.
Smith was not re-signed by the 49ers.
of the United Football League on September 2, 2011.
quarterback
for the Omaha Nighthawks
of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens
of the NFL in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Ohio State
.
Smith has also played for the San Francisco 49ers
. He won the 2006 Heisman Trophy
, his senior year with the Buckeyes
. He took 86.7% of the first place votes, a record that still stands today.
, then moved to the Glenville
neighborhood of Cleveland.
Smith first brought out an interest in playing football in Cleveland, where he played for the Glenville A's, initially as running back
and tight end
. Irvin White, his coach, moved Smith to quarterback after a few games and Smith stayed in the position.
In 1993, Smith was placed in foster care with Diane and Irvin White while his mother dealt with personal issues.
in Lakewood, Ohio, but was thrown off the team after elbowing an opponent in the head while playing in a varsity basketball game. He transferred to Glenville High School
in Cleveland
, Ohio
shortly thereafter.
Smith graduated from Glenville where he was coached by Ted Ginn, Sr.
, father of his teammate Ted Ginn, Jr.
Interestingly, Smith and Ginn went on to play together at Ohio State. After his junior football season in high school, Smith was invited to participate in the Elite 11 competition, featuring the eleven top ranked high school quarterback prospects in the US. He earned good praise following his performance, and although it was relatively late in the recruiting process, Ohio State offered Smith a football scholarship. He verbally committed to the Buckeyes
, signing his letter of intent
on February 6, 2002, the last player for the upcoming season.
Smith threw for 969 yards and 12 touchdowns in his senior year. He played alongside current San Francisco 49er, Ted Ginn, Jr.
, while leading Glenville to the state playoffs.
Smith also played three years of basketball and ran track (high jump, long jump and 1,600-meter relay). West Virginia University
and Ohio State recruited him. Smith accepted the last scholarship of Ohio State's 2002 football recruiting class.
freshman
for the Buckeyes, Smith played sparingly at running back
and kick returner
in 2003.
Smith played the season opener against Washington
as a scatback and returner, and he compiled fourteen yards rushing and 83 return yards. After the game, he came on the NFL scouting radar as an "athlete."
He entered his sophomore season as the backup quarterback to Justin Zwick
, but took over as the starter when Zwick was injured halfway through the 2004 season against Iowa
. Smith won four of the five games he started in 2004, including a victory over the archrival Michigan Wolverines
. Smith was suspended for breaking an undisclosed team rule before the Alamo Bowl
, with Coach Jim Tressel
extending the suspension to include the first game of the 2005 season after it was revealed that Smith had accepted $500 from a booster.
With Smith at QB, Ohio State lost only two games in the 2005 regular season, and in only one of those, was Smith the starter. The first was to the eventual BCS National Champion
Texas Longhorns
(which he did not start) and the other was to the Penn State Nittany Lions
, co-Big Ten champions. Smith's 2005 stats included 2,282 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. This led to a passer rating
of 162.66, the fourth-highest of the season. He rushed for 611 yards and 11 touchdowns on 136 carries. In January 2006, he was named the Offensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl
, after leading the Buckeyes to a 34-20 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
.
In the second week of the 2006 season, Smith and the Buckeyes took revenge for their 2005 loss to Texas. The top ranked Buckeyes won their rematch with the (again) second-ranked Longhorns, 24-7. Smith went 17-27 with 269 yards passing, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. For many fans and analysts, Smith's performance against the Longhorns gave credibility to the preseason Heisman Trophy hype he'd received. His passing statistics improved during the 2006 season, completing 67% of his passes for 2,507 yards, with 30 touchdowns and five interceptions. This led to a quarterback rating of 167.87, again fourth in the country.
Smith was one of five finalists for the 2006 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
, given to the top senior college quarterback.
Teammates voted Smith the 2006 most valuable player. On 2006-12-07 the Davey O'Brien Foundation awarded Smith the Davey O'Brien Award
for best college quarterback. He defeated other finalists Colt Brennan
of the University of Hawaii
and Brady Quinn
of the University of Notre Dame
.
In three games against Michigan, Smith has a total of 1,151 yards of total offense, two rushing touchdowns, and seven passing touchdowns. The Buckeyes won all three games, making Smith the first Ohio State quarterback since Tippy Dye
(1934–1936) to quarterback in three victories over Michigan, and the first to win three straight games against Michigan as a starter.
Smith's college football career came to an end on January 8, 2007, when he and the Ohio State Buckeyes
were beaten by the Florida Gators
in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game
, 41-14. Smith completed just four of 14 passes for 35 yards along with an interception, a fumble, and was sacked 5 times.
He graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications.
In 2010, Adam Rittenberg
of ESPN listed Smith as the "Big Ten player of the decade."
(2nd) from Arkansas and senior QB Brady Quinn
(3rd), from Notre Dame.
In winning the 2006 Heisman, Smith took 86.7% of the first place votes, a record that has not been broken. His tally of 2,540 votes was the third largest behind that of the then-2005 Heisman Trophy winner, Reggie Bush
of the University of Southern California
(2,541 votes) and 1968 Heisman winner O.J. Simpson who also played for USC (2,853 votes). His margin of victory (1,662 votes) was also the second largest in the history of the award, eclipsed only by O.J. Simpson who won by 1,750 votes.
Troy Smith joined Les Horvath (1944), Vic Janowicz (1950), Howard "Hopalong" Cassady (1955), Archie Griffin (1974 and 1975) and Eddie George (1995) as Ohio State Heisman winners.
. Despite winning the Heisman Trophy, Smith saw his draft stock drop considerably after the 41-14 loss to Florida in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game. At 6'0", his height (considered smaller than ideal) was cited as a liability. Smith was quoted by the media urging his hometown team, the Cleveland Browns
, to select him in the NFL Draft. Fans also set up a website urging the Browns to take Smith. However, the Browns drafted Brady Quinn
22nd overall in the 2007 NFL Draft
reducing the chances of Smith going to Cleveland.
On Day 2, Smith was finally drafted at the end of the fifth round by the Baltimore Ravens. He signed a three-year contract with the Ravens on July 24, 2007. On August 27, 2007 Drew Olson
was released by the Baltimore Ravens elevating Smith to the third string quarterback position. Smith was named second-string quarterback for the Ravens on November 13, 2007, backing up new starter Kyle Boller
after a shoulder injury to starter Steve McNair
. Ravens head coach Brian Billick maintained that Smith could be used in the future. "That's going to be a fun challenge for Troy, because now he's been around enough," Billick said. "The focus and attention that he brings to [preparing] is heightened."
Smith got his first regular season playing time in the fourth quarter of the home game against the Indianapolis Colts
on December 9, 2007, completing three of five pass attempts and scrambling 6 yards for his first NFL touchdown in the 44-20 loss. After his relative success against the Colts, many Baltimore Ravens fans were calling for Smith to replace Kyle Boller as the Ravens' starting quarterback. On December 16, 2007 Smith came in for an injured Kyle Boller in the game against the Miami Dolphins. Smith led the Ravens down the field for a field goal that forced overtime. The Ravens lost 22-16 in overtime, after a missed 44 yard field goal. On December 20, 2007, Kyle Boller officially was considered the backup due to injury for the Week 16 game, giving Troy Smith his first professional start against the Seattle Seahawks. He completed fewer than 50% of his passes and fumbled twice in this game. The Ravens lost 27-6, scoring a touchdown with about four minutes to play and the game out of reach. In Week 17 the Ravens beat the Steelers with Troy Smith starting again. He went 16-of-27 for 171 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions and no fumbles lost. This was the Ravens first win since Week 6, ending a 9-game losing streak with a bye at Week 8.
Smith finished his rookie season by totaling 506 total yards and three touchdowns in four games. He had 452 yards and two touchdowns passing and rushed for 54 yards and one touchdown.
Smith was scheduled to start in the third preseason game of the 2008 season
, but became ill with a rare disease called Lemierre's syndrome
. Due to Smith's illness, rookie Joe Flacco
was named to the Ravens' starting QB position. Early in the season Smith re-emerged in the offense as part of their two-quarterback offense, and was utilized for short-yardage runs. This offense featured Smith lining up at the wide receiver spot as well as under center. Smith appeared in only six of the Ravens' 19 games and had a total of 4 passing attempts for 82 yards in the 2008 season.
For the 2009 season
, Flacco was named the starting quarterback for the second consecutive year, while Smith was active for only four of sixteen games. Smith completed five of nine passes for 24 yards with one interception during the season. In addition, he also rushed eight times for thirty-one yards, including his career-long fifteen-yard touchdown run.
Smith re-signed with the Ravens for one-year worth $1.101 million. Smith received the low 5th round tender as a restricted free agent. However, no team was willing to part ways with the coveted pick so Smith was not traded. After signing Marc Bulger
as the team's backup to Joe Flacco
, the Ravens released Smith on September 4.
.
On Oct 27, Troy Smith was announced as the starter, replacing an injured Alex Smith
for San Francisco's game Oct 31 vs the Denver Broncos in London, England. During this game Smith ran for one TD and threw to Michael Crabtree
for another in a 49ers win. Smith actually excelled in the second half by going 8 for 10 for 159 yards, and leading the Niners to three fourth-quarter touchdown drives. The Niners won the game, 24-16. For Smith's quality performance, he was named Sports Illustrated NFL Offensive Player of the week.
On Nov 14, Troy Smith led the 49ers to an overtime victory over the Rams. Smith out-dueled Rams rookie Sam Bradford
in this Heisman trophy quarterback matchup. He threw for 356 yards, one touchdown and ran for 12 yards without being intercepted.
On Nov 15, Troy Smith was named the new starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.
As of November 29, after a Monday night win over the Cardinals, Smith was 3-1 as the 49ers starting QB. In week 16, Smith was named the starting QB against the St.Louis Rams.
Smith was not re-signed by the 49ers.
of the United Football League on September 2, 2011.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Omaha Nighthawks
Omaha Nighthawks
The Omaha Nighthawks are a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which plays in the United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010. For their first season, the Nighthawks played their home games at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium before moving to TD...
of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
of the NFL in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
.
Smith has also played for the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. He won the 2006 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
, his senior year with the Buckeyes
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
. He took 86.7% of the first place votes, a record that still stands today.
Early life
Troy Smith's mother raised him and two siblings in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, then moved to the Glenville
Glenville, Cleveland
Glenville is a neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is roughly bounded between Rockefeller Park between on the west and Lakeview Road on the east, and by the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway on its the north and Wade Park Avenue to the south....
neighborhood of Cleveland.
Smith first brought out an interest in playing football in Cleveland, where he played for the Glenville A's, initially as running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
. Irvin White, his coach, moved Smith to quarterback after a few games and Smith stayed in the position.
In 1993, Smith was placed in foster care with Diane and Irvin White while his mother dealt with personal issues.
High school career
Smith played his first two years at St. Edward High SchoolSt. Edward High School (Lakewood, Ohio)
St. Edward High School is private, all-male Catholic, college-preparatory high school located in Lakewood, Ohio, a western Cleveland suburb. It was founded in 1949 and is operated in the by the Midwest Province of the Brothers of Holy Cross, Notre Dame, Indiana. It is one of three remaining...
in Lakewood, Ohio, but was thrown off the team after elbowing an opponent in the head while playing in a varsity basketball game. He transferred to Glenville High School
Glenville High School
Glenville Academic Campus is a public high school in the Glenville neighborhood on the East Side of Cleveland, Ohio. The school is part of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Founded in 1905, the school's original campus was located at Everton and Parkwood. The current campus was built in...
in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
shortly thereafter.
Smith graduated from Glenville where he was coached by Ted Ginn, Sr.
Ted Ginn, Sr.
Ted Ginn, Sr. is the coach of the Glenville Tarblooders football and track teams in Cleveland, Ohio. He coached Heisman Trophy winner and former Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith and he is considered one of his father-figures. He is also the father of San Francisco 49ers' wide receiver Ted Ginn,...
, father of his teammate Ted Ginn, Jr.
Ted Ginn, Jr.
-College career:OSU track coach Russ Rogers recruited Ginn to run track, believing that he could qualify for the 2008 Olympics. However, his track career was put on hold in order to focus on football. Ginn was recruited as a defensive back by Ohio State....
Interestingly, Smith and Ginn went on to play together at Ohio State. After his junior football season in high school, Smith was invited to participate in the Elite 11 competition, featuring the eleven top ranked high school quarterback prospects in the US. He earned good praise following his performance, and although it was relatively late in the recruiting process, Ohio State offered Smith a football scholarship. He verbally committed to the Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
, signing his letter of intent
Letter of intent
A letter of intent is a document outlining an agreement between two or more parties before the agreement is finalized. The concept is similar to a heads of agreement...
on February 6, 2002, the last player for the upcoming season.
Smith threw for 969 yards and 12 touchdowns in his senior year. He played alongside current San Francisco 49er, Ted Ginn, Jr.
Ted Ginn, Jr.
-College career:OSU track coach Russ Rogers recruited Ginn to run track, believing that he could qualify for the 2008 Olympics. However, his track career was put on hold in order to focus on football. Ginn was recruited as a defensive back by Ohio State....
, while leading Glenville to the state playoffs.
Smith also played three years of basketball and ran track (high jump, long jump and 1,600-meter relay). West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
and Ohio State recruited him. Smith accepted the last scholarship of Ohio State's 2002 football recruiting class.
College career
As a redshirtedRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
for the Buckeyes, Smith played sparingly at running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
in 2003.
Smith played the season opener against Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
as a scatback and returner, and he compiled fourteen yards rushing and 83 return yards. After the game, he came on the NFL scouting radar as an "athlete."
He entered his sophomore season as the backup quarterback to Justin Zwick
Justin Zwick
Justin Zwick is an American football quarterback who most recently played with the Columbus Destroyers in the now defunct Arena Football League. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2002-2006.-High school:...
, but took over as the starter when Zwick was injured halfway through the 2004 season against Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
. Smith won four of the five games he started in 2004, including a victory over the archrival Michigan Wolverines
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. Smith was suspended for breaking an undisclosed team rule before the Alamo Bowl
Alamo Bowl
The Alamo Bowl is a major American college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It matches the second choice team from the Pacific-12 Conference and the third choice team from the Big 12 Conference.Traditionally, the Alamo Bowl has been...
, with Coach Jim Tressel
Jim Tressel
James Patrick Tressel is a gameday consultant for the Indianapolis Colts, and former collegiate football head coach at both The Ohio State University from 2001 to 2011 and at Youngstown State University from 1986 to 2000. Tressel is most notable for his time at Ohio State. He was hired by the...
extending the suspension to include the first game of the 2005 season after it was revealed that Smith had accepted $500 from a booster.
With Smith at QB, Ohio State lost only two games in the 2005 regular season, and in only one of those, was Smith the starter. The first was to the eventual BCS National Champion
2006 Rose Bowl
The 2006 Rose Bowl Game, played on January 4, 2006, was a football game that served as the national championship of the 2005-2006 Bowl Championship Series...
Texas Longhorns
2005 Texas Longhorn football team
The 2005 Texas Longhorn football team represented the University of Texas at Austin during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season, winning the Big 12 Conference championship and the national championship. The team was coached by Mack Brown, led on offense by quarterback Vince Young, and played...
(which he did not start) and the other was to the Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
, co-Big Ten champions. Smith's 2005 stats included 2,282 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. This led to a passer rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
of 162.66, the fourth-highest of the season. He rushed for 611 yards and 11 touchdowns on 136 carries. In January 2006, he was named the Offensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
, after leading the Buckeyes to a 34-20 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
.
In the second week of the 2006 season, Smith and the Buckeyes took revenge for their 2005 loss to Texas. The top ranked Buckeyes won their rematch with the (again) second-ranked Longhorns, 24-7. Smith went 17-27 with 269 yards passing, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. For many fans and analysts, Smith's performance against the Longhorns gave credibility to the preseason Heisman Trophy hype he'd received. His passing statistics improved during the 2006 season, completing 67% of his passes for 2,507 yards, with 30 touchdowns and five interceptions. This led to a quarterback rating of 167.87, again fourth in the country.
Smith was one of five finalists for the 2006 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is given annually in the United States to the nation's outstanding senior quarterback in college football. It was established in 1987 by a foundation named for Johnny Unitas , the Hall of Fame quarterback who played his college career at the University of...
, given to the top senior college quarterback.
Teammates voted Smith the 2006 most valuable player. On 2006-12-07 the Davey O'Brien Foundation awarded Smith the Davey O'Brien Award
Davey O'Brien Award
The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
for best college quarterback. He defeated other finalists Colt Brennan
Colt Brennan
Colton "Colt" James Brennan is an American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....
of the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
and Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
of the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
.
In three games against Michigan, Smith has a total of 1,151 yards of total offense, two rushing touchdowns, and seven passing touchdowns. The Buckeyes won all three games, making Smith the first Ohio State quarterback since Tippy Dye
Tippy Dye
William Henry Harrison "Tippy" Dye is a noted former college athlete, coach, and athletic director in the United States. As a basketball head coach, Dye led the University of Washington to their only NCAA Final Four appearance...
(1934–1936) to quarterback in three victories over Michigan, and the first to win three straight games against Michigan as a starter.
Smith's college football career came to an end on January 8, 2007, when he and the Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
were beaten by the Florida Gators
Florida Gators
The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game
2007 BCS National Championship Game
The 2007 BCS National Championship Game, sponsored by Tostitos, was an American football game played at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on January 8, 2007. The BCS No. 2 Florida Gators defeated the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes, 41–14. The Buckeyes secured a spot by finishing...
, 41-14. Smith completed just four of 14 passes for 35 yards along with an interception, a fumble, and was sacked 5 times.
He graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications.
In 2010, Adam Rittenberg
Adam Rittenberg
Adam Rittenberg is a blogger and sports journalist for ESPN's college football section dedicated to the Big Ten Conference in college football. Before 2008 when he joined ESPN, he was a sports writer at Daily Herald in Illinois. Rittenberg is a graduate of Northwestern University and resides near...
of ESPN listed Smith as the "Big Ten player of the decade."
Heisman Trophy
Smith won the 2006 Heisman Memorial Trophy on December 9, 2006. He beat out sophomore RB Darren McFaddenDarren McFadden
Darren McFadden is an American football running back who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Arkansas from 2005 to 2007...
(2nd) from Arkansas and senior QB Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
(3rd), from Notre Dame.
In winning the 2006 Heisman, Smith took 86.7% of the first place votes, a record that has not been broken. His tally of 2,540 votes was the third largest behind that of the then-2005 Heisman Trophy winner, Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
of the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(2,541 votes) and 1968 Heisman winner O.J. Simpson who also played for USC (2,853 votes). His margin of victory (1,662 votes) was also the second largest in the history of the award, eclipsed only by O.J. Simpson who won by 1,750 votes.
Troy Smith joined Les Horvath (1944), Vic Janowicz (1950), Howard "Hopalong" Cassady (1955), Archie Griffin (1974 and 1975) and Eddie George (1995) as Ohio State Heisman winners.
Passing
| Year | Games | Attempts | Completions | Comp % | Yards | TDs | Interception | QB Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 8 | 122 | 68 | 55.7% | 896 | 8 | 3 | 134.15 |
| 2005 | 11 | 237 | 149 | 62.9% | 2,282 | 16 | 4 | 162.66 |
| 2006 | 12 | 311 | 203 | 65.3% | 2,542 | 30 | 6 | 161.91 |
| Career | 44 | 670 | 420 | 62.7% | 5720 | 54 | 13 | 159.72 |
Rushing
| Year | Games | Rushes | Yards | Average | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 0 |
| 2004 | 9 | 82 | 339 | 4.1 | 2 |
| 2005 | 11 | 136 | 611 | 4.5 | 11 |
| 2006 | 12 | 62 | 228 | 3.8 | 1 |
| Career | 45 | 283 | 1,197 | 4.2 | 14 |
Total offense
| Year | Games | Plays | Yards | Average | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 0 |
| 2004 | 9 | 204 | 1,235 | 6.0 | 10 |
| 2005 | 11 | 373 | 2,893 | 7.6 | 27 |
| 2006 | 12 | 359 | 2,740 | 7.6 | 31 |
| Career | 45 | 939 | 7,992 | 7.33 | 68 |
College awards
- 2006 Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
- 2006 Consensus All American2006 College Football All-America TeamThe 2006 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, CBS Sports, ESPN, College...
- 2006 Sporting News College Football Player of the Year
- 2006 Fiesta BowlFiesta BowlThe Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
MVP - 2006 Walter Camp AwardWalter Camp AwardThe Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football Player of the Year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A head coaches and sports information directors under the auspices of the Walter Camp Football Foundation;...
- 2006 Davey O'Brien AwardDavey O'Brien AwardThe Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
- 2006 Buckeyes MVPOhio State Buckeyes footballThe Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
- 2006 Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Player of the Year - 2006 Chicago TribuneChicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
Silver Football — Big Ten Most Valuable Player - 2006 Senior Bowl
Baltimore Ravens
As a graduating senior Smith entered professional football in the 2007 NFL Draft2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. Despite winning the Heisman Trophy, Smith saw his draft stock drop considerably after the 41-14 loss to Florida in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game. At 6'0", his height (considered smaller than ideal) was cited as a liability. Smith was quoted by the media urging his hometown team, the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, to select him in the NFL Draft. Fans also set up a website urging the Browns to take Smith. However, the Browns drafted Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
22nd overall in the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
reducing the chances of Smith going to Cleveland.
On Day 2, Smith was finally drafted at the end of the fifth round by the Baltimore Ravens. He signed a three-year contract with the Ravens on July 24, 2007. On August 27, 2007 Drew Olson
Drew Olson
Drew Martin Olson is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at UCLA...
was released by the Baltimore Ravens elevating Smith to the third string quarterback position. Smith was named second-string quarterback for the Ravens on November 13, 2007, backing up new starter Kyle Boller
Kyle Boller
Kyle Bryan Boller is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at The University of California.Boller has also played for the St...
after a shoulder injury to starter Steve McNair
Steve McNair
Stephen LaTreal McNair was an American football quarterback who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans....
. Ravens head coach Brian Billick maintained that Smith could be used in the future. "That's going to be a fun challenge for Troy, because now he's been around enough," Billick said. "The focus and attention that he brings to [preparing] is heightened."
Smith got his first regular season playing time in the fourth quarter of the home game against the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
on December 9, 2007, completing three of five pass attempts and scrambling 6 yards for his first NFL touchdown in the 44-20 loss. After his relative success against the Colts, many Baltimore Ravens fans were calling for Smith to replace Kyle Boller as the Ravens' starting quarterback. On December 16, 2007 Smith came in for an injured Kyle Boller in the game against the Miami Dolphins. Smith led the Ravens down the field for a field goal that forced overtime. The Ravens lost 22-16 in overtime, after a missed 44 yard field goal. On December 20, 2007, Kyle Boller officially was considered the backup due to injury for the Week 16 game, giving Troy Smith his first professional start against the Seattle Seahawks. He completed fewer than 50% of his passes and fumbled twice in this game. The Ravens lost 27-6, scoring a touchdown with about four minutes to play and the game out of reach. In Week 17 the Ravens beat the Steelers with Troy Smith starting again. He went 16-of-27 for 171 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions and no fumbles lost. This was the Ravens first win since Week 6, ending a 9-game losing streak with a bye at Week 8.
Smith finished his rookie season by totaling 506 total yards and three touchdowns in four games. He had 452 yards and two touchdowns passing and rushed for 54 yards and one touchdown.
Smith was scheduled to start in the third preseason game of the 2008 season
2008 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2008 Baltimore Ravens season was the 13th season for the team in the NFL. Despite having one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, the Ravens completed a major turnaround from the 2007 season, finishing the season with an 11–5 record and a playoff berth...
, but became ill with a rare disease called Lemierre's syndrome
Lemierre's syndrome
Lemierre's syndrome is a form of thrombophlebitis usually caused by the bacterium Fusobacterium necrophorum, and occasionally by other members of the genus Fusobacterium and usually affects young, healthy adults...
. Due to Smith's illness, rookie Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco
Flacco was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware...
was named to the Ravens' starting QB position. Early in the season Smith re-emerged in the offense as part of their two-quarterback offense, and was utilized for short-yardage runs. This offense featured Smith lining up at the wide receiver spot as well as under center. Smith appeared in only six of the Ravens' 19 games and had a total of 4 passing attempts for 82 yards in the 2008 season.
For the 2009 season
2009 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2009 Baltimore Ravens season is the franchise's 14th season as a team in the National Football League . The franchise entered the season off an 11–5 record in their previous season, a playoff berth, but a loss in the American Football Conference Championship game against the eventual Super...
, Flacco was named the starting quarterback for the second consecutive year, while Smith was active for only four of sixteen games. Smith completed five of nine passes for 24 yards with one interception during the season. In addition, he also rushed eight times for thirty-one yards, including his career-long fifteen-yard touchdown run.
Smith re-signed with the Ravens for one-year worth $1.101 million. Smith received the low 5th round tender as a restricted free agent. However, no team was willing to part ways with the coveted pick so Smith was not traded. After signing Marc Bulger
Marc Bulger
Marc Robert Bulger [] is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia....
as the team's backup to Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco
Flacco was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware...
, the Ravens released Smith on September 4.
San Francisco 49ers
On September 6, 2010, Smith signed with the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
.
On Oct 27, Troy Smith was announced as the starter, replacing an injured Alex Smith
Alex Smith
Alexander Douglas Smith is a professional American football player and starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Smith was drafted with the 1st-overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft by San Francisco from the University of Utah...
for San Francisco's game Oct 31 vs the Denver Broncos in London, England. During this game Smith ran for one TD and threw to Michael Crabtree
Michael Crabtree
Michael Alex Crabtree is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the 49ers with the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Texas Tech, where he received recognition as one of the nation's...
for another in a 49ers win. Smith actually excelled in the second half by going 8 for 10 for 159 yards, and leading the Niners to three fourth-quarter touchdown drives. The Niners won the game, 24-16. For Smith's quality performance, he was named Sports Illustrated NFL Offensive Player of the week.
On Nov 14, Troy Smith led the 49ers to an overtime victory over the Rams. Smith out-dueled Rams rookie Sam Bradford
Sam Bradford
Samuel Jacob "Sam" Bradford is an American football quarterback for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and played college football at Oklahoma. In 2008, as a redshirt sophomore, Bradford became the second sophomore to win a...
in this Heisman trophy quarterback matchup. He threw for 356 yards, one touchdown and ran for 12 yards without being intercepted.
On Nov 15, Troy Smith was named the new starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.
As of November 29, after a Monday night win over the Cardinals, Smith was 3-1 as the 49ers starting QB. In week 16, Smith was named the starting QB against the St.Louis Rams.
Smith was not re-signed by the 49ers.
Omaha Nighthawks
Smith was signed by the Omaha NighthawksOmaha Nighthawks
The Omaha Nighthawks are a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which plays in the United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010. For their first season, the Nighthawks played their home games at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium before moving to TD...
of the United Football League on September 2, 2011.
Regular Season
Troy James Smith (born July 20, 1984) is an American footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Omaha Nighthawks
Omaha Nighthawks
The Omaha Nighthawks are a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which plays in the United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010. For their first season, the Nighthawks played their home games at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium before moving to TD...
of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
of the NFL in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
.
Smith has also played for the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. He won the 2006 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
, his senior year with the Buckeyes
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
. He took 86.7% of the first place votes, a record that still stands today.
Early life
Troy Smith's mother raised him and two siblings in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, then moved to the Glenville
Glenville, Cleveland
Glenville is a neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is roughly bounded between Rockefeller Park between on the west and Lakeview Road on the east, and by the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway on its the north and Wade Park Avenue to the south....
neighborhood of Cleveland.
Smith first brought out an interest in playing football in Cleveland, where he played for the Glenville A's, initially as running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
. Irvin White, his coach, moved Smith to quarterback after a few games and Smith stayed in the position.
In 1993, Smith was placed in foster care with Diane and Irvin White while his mother dealt with personal issues.
High school career
Smith played his first two years at St. Edward High SchoolSt. Edward High School (Lakewood, Ohio)
St. Edward High School is private, all-male Catholic, college-preparatory high school located in Lakewood, Ohio, a western Cleveland suburb. It was founded in 1949 and is operated in the by the Midwest Province of the Brothers of Holy Cross, Notre Dame, Indiana. It is one of three remaining...
in Lakewood, Ohio, but was thrown off the team after elbowing an opponent in the head while playing in a varsity basketball game. He transferred to Glenville High School
Glenville High School
Glenville Academic Campus is a public high school in the Glenville neighborhood on the East Side of Cleveland, Ohio. The school is part of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Founded in 1905, the school's original campus was located at Everton and Parkwood. The current campus was built in...
in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
shortly thereafter.
Smith graduated from Glenville where he was coached by Ted Ginn, Sr.
Ted Ginn, Sr.
Ted Ginn, Sr. is the coach of the Glenville Tarblooders football and track teams in Cleveland, Ohio. He coached Heisman Trophy winner and former Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith and he is considered one of his father-figures. He is also the father of San Francisco 49ers' wide receiver Ted Ginn,...
, father of his teammate Ted Ginn, Jr.
Ted Ginn, Jr.
-College career:OSU track coach Russ Rogers recruited Ginn to run track, believing that he could qualify for the 2008 Olympics. However, his track career was put on hold in order to focus on football. Ginn was recruited as a defensive back by Ohio State....
Interestingly, Smith and Ginn went on to play together at Ohio State. After his junior football season in high school, Smith was invited to participate in the Elite 11 competition, featuring the eleven top ranked high school quarterback prospects in the US. He earned good praise following his performance, and although it was relatively late in the recruiting process, Ohio State offered Smith a football scholarship. He verbally committed to the Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
, signing his letter of intent
Letter of intent
A letter of intent is a document outlining an agreement between two or more parties before the agreement is finalized. The concept is similar to a heads of agreement...
on February 6, 2002, the last player for the upcoming season.
Smith threw for 969 yards and 12 touchdowns in his senior year. He played alongside current San Francisco 49er, Ted Ginn, Jr.
Ted Ginn, Jr.
-College career:OSU track coach Russ Rogers recruited Ginn to run track, believing that he could qualify for the 2008 Olympics. However, his track career was put on hold in order to focus on football. Ginn was recruited as a defensive back by Ohio State....
, while leading Glenville to the state playoffs.
Smith also played three years of basketball and ran track (high jump, long jump and 1,600-meter relay). West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
and Ohio State recruited him. Smith accepted the last scholarship of Ohio State's 2002 football recruiting class.
College career
As a redshirtedRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
for the Buckeyes, Smith played sparingly at running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
in 2003.
Smith played the season opener against Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
as a scatback and returner, and he compiled fourteen yards rushing and 83 return yards. After the game, he came on the NFL scouting radar as an "athlete."
He entered his sophomore season as the backup quarterback to Justin Zwick
Justin Zwick
Justin Zwick is an American football quarterback who most recently played with the Columbus Destroyers in the now defunct Arena Football League. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2002-2006.-High school:...
, but took over as the starter when Zwick was injured halfway through the 2004 season against Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
. Smith won four of the five games he started in 2004, including a victory over the archrival Michigan Wolverines
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. Smith was suspended for breaking an undisclosed team rule before the Alamo Bowl
Alamo Bowl
The Alamo Bowl is a major American college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It matches the second choice team from the Pacific-12 Conference and the third choice team from the Big 12 Conference.Traditionally, the Alamo Bowl has been...
, with Coach Jim Tressel
Jim Tressel
James Patrick Tressel is a gameday consultant for the Indianapolis Colts, and former collegiate football head coach at both The Ohio State University from 2001 to 2011 and at Youngstown State University from 1986 to 2000. Tressel is most notable for his time at Ohio State. He was hired by the...
extending the suspension to include the first game of the 2005 season after it was revealed that Smith had accepted $500 from a booster.
With Smith at QB, Ohio State lost only two games in the 2005 regular season, and in only one of those, was Smith the starter. The first was to the eventual BCS National Champion
2006 Rose Bowl
The 2006 Rose Bowl Game, played on January 4, 2006, was a football game that served as the national championship of the 2005-2006 Bowl Championship Series...
Texas Longhorns
2005 Texas Longhorn football team
The 2005 Texas Longhorn football team represented the University of Texas at Austin during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season, winning the Big 12 Conference championship and the national championship. The team was coached by Mack Brown, led on offense by quarterback Vince Young, and played...
(which he did not start) and the other was to the Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
, co-Big Ten champions. Smith's 2005 stats included 2,282 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. This led to a passer rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
of 162.66, the fourth-highest of the season. He rushed for 611 yards and 11 touchdowns on 136 carries. In January 2006, he was named the Offensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
, after leading the Buckeyes to a 34-20 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
.
In the second week of the 2006 season, Smith and the Buckeyes took revenge for their 2005 loss to Texas. The top ranked Buckeyes won their rematch with the (again) second-ranked Longhorns, 24-7. Smith went 17-27 with 269 yards passing, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. For many fans and analysts, Smith's performance against the Longhorns gave credibility to the preseason Heisman Trophy hype he'd received. His passing statistics improved during the 2006 season, completing 67% of his passes for 2,507 yards, with 30 touchdowns and five interceptions. This led to a quarterback rating of 167.87, again fourth in the country.
Smith was one of five finalists for the 2006 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is given annually in the United States to the nation's outstanding senior quarterback in college football. It was established in 1987 by a foundation named for Johnny Unitas , the Hall of Fame quarterback who played his college career at the University of...
, given to the top senior college quarterback.
Teammates voted Smith the 2006 most valuable player. On 2006-12-07 the Davey O'Brien Foundation awarded Smith the Davey O'Brien Award
Davey O'Brien Award
The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
for best college quarterback. He defeated other finalists Colt Brennan
Colt Brennan
Colton "Colt" James Brennan is an American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....
of the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
and Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
of the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
.
In three games against Michigan, Smith has a total of 1,151 yards of total offense, two rushing touchdowns, and seven passing touchdowns. The Buckeyes won all three games, making Smith the first Ohio State quarterback since Tippy Dye
Tippy Dye
William Henry Harrison "Tippy" Dye is a noted former college athlete, coach, and athletic director in the United States. As a basketball head coach, Dye led the University of Washington to their only NCAA Final Four appearance...
(1934–1936) to quarterback in three victories over Michigan, and the first to win three straight games against Michigan as a starter.
Smith's college football career came to an end on January 8, 2007, when he and the Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
were beaten by the Florida Gators
Florida Gators
The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game
2007 BCS National Championship Game
The 2007 BCS National Championship Game, sponsored by Tostitos, was an American football game played at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on January 8, 2007. The BCS No. 2 Florida Gators defeated the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes, 41–14. The Buckeyes secured a spot by finishing...
, 41-14. Smith completed just four of 14 passes for 35 yards along with an interception, a fumble, and was sacked 5 times.
He graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications.
In 2010, Adam Rittenberg
Adam Rittenberg
Adam Rittenberg is a blogger and sports journalist for ESPN's college football section dedicated to the Big Ten Conference in college football. Before 2008 when he joined ESPN, he was a sports writer at Daily Herald in Illinois. Rittenberg is a graduate of Northwestern University and resides near...
of ESPN listed Smith as the "Big Ten player of the decade."
Heisman Trophy
Smith won the 2006 Heisman Memorial Trophy on December 9, 2006. He beat out sophomore RB Darren McFaddenDarren McFadden
Darren McFadden is an American football running back who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Arkansas from 2005 to 2007...
(2nd) from Arkansas and senior QB Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
(3rd), from Notre Dame.
In winning the 2006 Heisman, Smith took 86.7% of the first place votes, a record that has not been broken. His tally of 2,540 votes was the third largest behind that of the then-2005 Heisman Trophy winner, Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
of the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(2,541 votes) and 1968 Heisman winner O.J. Simpson who also played for USC (2,853 votes). His margin of victory (1,662 votes) was also the second largest in the history of the award, eclipsed only by O.J. Simpson who won by 1,750 votes.
Troy Smith joined Les Horvath (1944), Vic Janowicz (1950), Howard "Hopalong" Cassady (1955), Archie Griffin (1974 and 1975) and Eddie George (1995) as Ohio State Heisman winners.
Passing
| Year | Games | Attempts | Completions | Comp % | Yards | TDs | Interception | QB Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 8 | 122 | 68 | 55.7% | 896 | 8 | 3 | 134.15 |
| 2005 | 11 | 237 | 149 | 62.9% | 2,282 | 16 | 4 | 162.66 |
| 2006 | 12 | 311 | 203 | 65.3% | 2,542 | 30 | 6 | 161.91 |
| Career | 44 | 670 | 420 | 62.7% | 5720 | 54 | 13 | 159.72 |
Rushing
| Year | Games | Rushes | Yards | Average | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 0 |
| 2004 | 9 | 82 | 339 | 4.1 | 2 |
| 2005 | 11 | 136 | 611 | 4.5 | 11 |
| 2006 | 12 | 62 | 228 | 3.8 | 1 |
| Career | 45 | 283 | 1,197 | 4.2 | 14 |
Total offense
| Year | Games | Plays | Yards | Average | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 0 |
| 2004 | 9 | 204 | 1,235 | 6.0 | 10 |
| 2005 | 11 | 373 | 2,893 | 7.6 | 27 |
| 2006 | 12 | 359 | 2,740 | 7.6 | 31 |
| Career | 45 | 939 | 7,992 | 7.33 | 68 |
College awards
- 2006 Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
- 2006 Consensus All American2006 College Football All-America TeamThe 2006 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, CBS Sports, ESPN, College...
- 2006 Sporting News College Football Player of the Year
- 2006 Fiesta BowlFiesta BowlThe Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
MVP - 2006 Walter Camp AwardWalter Camp AwardThe Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football Player of the Year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A head coaches and sports information directors under the auspices of the Walter Camp Football Foundation;...
- 2006 Davey O'Brien AwardDavey O'Brien AwardThe Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
- 2006 Buckeyes MVPOhio State Buckeyes footballThe Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
- 2006 Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Player of the Year - 2006 Chicago TribuneChicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
Silver Football — Big Ten Most Valuable Player - 2006 Senior Bowl
Baltimore Ravens
As a graduating senior Smith entered professional football in the 2007 NFL Draft2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. Despite winning the Heisman Trophy, Smith saw his draft stock drop considerably after the 41-14 loss to Florida in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game. At 6'0", his height (considered smaller than ideal) was cited as a liability. Smith was quoted by the media urging his hometown team, the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, to select him in the NFL Draft. Fans also set up a website urging the Browns to take Smith. However, the Browns drafted Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
22nd overall in the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
reducing the chances of Smith going to Cleveland.
On Day 2, Smith was finally drafted at the end of the fifth round by the Baltimore Ravens. He signed a three-year contract with the Ravens on July 24, 2007. On August 27, 2007 Drew Olson
Drew Olson
Drew Martin Olson is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at UCLA...
was released by the Baltimore Ravens elevating Smith to the third string quarterback position. Smith was named second-string quarterback for the Ravens on November 13, 2007, backing up new starter Kyle Boller
Kyle Boller
Kyle Bryan Boller is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at The University of California.Boller has also played for the St...
after a shoulder injury to starter Steve McNair
Steve McNair
Stephen LaTreal McNair was an American football quarterback who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans....
. Ravens head coach Brian Billick maintained that Smith could be used in the future. "That's going to be a fun challenge for Troy, because now he's been around enough," Billick said. "The focus and attention that he brings to [preparing] is heightened."
Smith got his first regular season playing time in the fourth quarter of the home game against the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
on December 9, 2007, completing three of five pass attempts and scrambling 6 yards for his first NFL touchdown in the 44-20 loss. After his relative success against the Colts, many Baltimore Ravens fans were calling for Smith to replace Kyle Boller as the Ravens' starting quarterback. On December 16, 2007 Smith came in for an injured Kyle Boller in the game against the Miami Dolphins. Smith led the Ravens down the field for a field goal that forced overtime. The Ravens lost 22-16 in overtime, after a missed 44 yard field goal. On December 20, 2007, Kyle Boller officially was considered the backup due to injury for the Week 16 game, giving Troy Smith his first professional start against the Seattle Seahawks. He completed fewer than 50% of his passes and fumbled twice in this game. The Ravens lost 27-6, scoring a touchdown with about four minutes to play and the game out of reach. In Week 17 the Ravens beat the Steelers with Troy Smith starting again. He went 16-of-27 for 171 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions and no fumbles lost. This was the Ravens first win since Week 6, ending a 9-game losing streak with a bye at Week 8.
Smith finished his rookie season by totaling 506 total yards and three touchdowns in four games. He had 452 yards and two touchdowns passing and rushed for 54 yards and one touchdown.
Smith was scheduled to start in the third preseason game of the 2008 season
2008 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2008 Baltimore Ravens season was the 13th season for the team in the NFL. Despite having one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, the Ravens completed a major turnaround from the 2007 season, finishing the season with an 11–5 record and a playoff berth...
, but became ill with a rare disease called Lemierre's syndrome
Lemierre's syndrome
Lemierre's syndrome is a form of thrombophlebitis usually caused by the bacterium Fusobacterium necrophorum, and occasionally by other members of the genus Fusobacterium and usually affects young, healthy adults...
. Due to Smith's illness, rookie Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco
Flacco was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware...
was named to the Ravens' starting QB position. Early in the season Smith re-emerged in the offense as part of their two-quarterback offense, and was utilized for short-yardage runs. This offense featured Smith lining up at the wide receiver spot as well as under center. Smith appeared in only six of the Ravens' 19 games and had a total of 4 passing attempts for 82 yards in the 2008 season.
For the 2009 season
2009 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2009 Baltimore Ravens season is the franchise's 14th season as a team in the National Football League . The franchise entered the season off an 11–5 record in their previous season, a playoff berth, but a loss in the American Football Conference Championship game against the eventual Super...
, Flacco was named the starting quarterback for the second consecutive year, while Smith was active for only four of sixteen games. Smith completed five of nine passes for 24 yards with one interception during the season. In addition, he also rushed eight times for thirty-one yards, including his career-long fifteen-yard touchdown run.
Smith re-signed with the Ravens for one-year worth $1.101 million. Smith received the low 5th round tender as a restricted free agent. However, no team was willing to part ways with the coveted pick so Smith was not traded. After signing Marc Bulger
Marc Bulger
Marc Robert Bulger [] is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia....
as the team's backup to Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco
Flacco was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware...
, the Ravens released Smith on September 4.
San Francisco 49ers
On September 6, 2010, Smith signed with the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
.
On Oct 27, Troy Smith was announced as the starter, replacing an injured Alex Smith
Alex Smith
Alexander Douglas Smith is a professional American football player and starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Smith was drafted with the 1st-overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft by San Francisco from the University of Utah...
for San Francisco's game Oct 31 vs the Denver Broncos in London, England. During this game Smith ran for one TD and threw to Michael Crabtree
Michael Crabtree
Michael Alex Crabtree is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the 49ers with the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Texas Tech, where he received recognition as one of the nation's...
for another in a 49ers win. Smith actually excelled in the second half by going 8 for 10 for 159 yards, and leading the Niners to three fourth-quarter touchdown drives. The Niners won the game, 24-16. For Smith's quality performance, he was named Sports Illustrated NFL Offensive Player of the week.
On Nov 14, Troy Smith led the 49ers to an overtime victory over the Rams. Smith out-dueled Rams rookie Sam Bradford
Sam Bradford
Samuel Jacob "Sam" Bradford is an American football quarterback for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and played college football at Oklahoma. In 2008, as a redshirt sophomore, Bradford became the second sophomore to win a...
in this Heisman trophy quarterback matchup. He threw for 356 yards, one touchdown and ran for 12 yards without being intercepted.
On Nov 15, Troy Smith was named the new starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.
As of November 29, after a Monday night win over the Cardinals, Smith was 3-1 as the 49ers starting QB. In week 16, Smith was named the starting QB against the St.Louis Rams.
Smith was not re-signed by the 49ers.
Omaha Nighthawks
Smith was signed by the Omaha NighthawksOmaha Nighthawks
The Omaha Nighthawks are a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which plays in the United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010. For their first season, the Nighthawks played their home games at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium before moving to TD...
of the United Football League on September 2, 2011.
Regular Season
Troy James Smith (born July 20, 1984) is an American footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Omaha Nighthawks
Omaha Nighthawks
The Omaha Nighthawks are a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which plays in the United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010. For their first season, the Nighthawks played their home games at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium before moving to TD...
of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
of the NFL in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
.
Smith has also played for the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. He won the 2006 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
, his senior year with the Buckeyes
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
. He took 86.7% of the first place votes, a record that still stands today.
Early life
Troy Smith's mother raised him and two siblings in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, then moved to the Glenville
Glenville, Cleveland
Glenville is a neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is roughly bounded between Rockefeller Park between on the west and Lakeview Road on the east, and by the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway on its the north and Wade Park Avenue to the south....
neighborhood of Cleveland.
Smith first brought out an interest in playing football in Cleveland, where he played for the Glenville A's, initially as running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
. Irvin White, his coach, moved Smith to quarterback after a few games and Smith stayed in the position.
In 1993, Smith was placed in foster care with Diane and Irvin White while his mother dealt with personal issues.
High school career
Smith played his first two years at St. Edward High SchoolSt. Edward High School (Lakewood, Ohio)
St. Edward High School is private, all-male Catholic, college-preparatory high school located in Lakewood, Ohio, a western Cleveland suburb. It was founded in 1949 and is operated in the by the Midwest Province of the Brothers of Holy Cross, Notre Dame, Indiana. It is one of three remaining...
in Lakewood, Ohio, but was thrown off the team after elbowing an opponent in the head while playing in a varsity basketball game. He transferred to Glenville High School
Glenville High School
Glenville Academic Campus is a public high school in the Glenville neighborhood on the East Side of Cleveland, Ohio. The school is part of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Founded in 1905, the school's original campus was located at Everton and Parkwood. The current campus was built in...
in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
shortly thereafter.
Smith graduated from Glenville where he was coached by Ted Ginn, Sr.
Ted Ginn, Sr.
Ted Ginn, Sr. is the coach of the Glenville Tarblooders football and track teams in Cleveland, Ohio. He coached Heisman Trophy winner and former Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith and he is considered one of his father-figures. He is also the father of San Francisco 49ers' wide receiver Ted Ginn,...
, father of his teammate Ted Ginn, Jr.
Ted Ginn, Jr.
-College career:OSU track coach Russ Rogers recruited Ginn to run track, believing that he could qualify for the 2008 Olympics. However, his track career was put on hold in order to focus on football. Ginn was recruited as a defensive back by Ohio State....
Interestingly, Smith and Ginn went on to play together at Ohio State. After his junior football season in high school, Smith was invited to participate in the Elite 11 competition, featuring the eleven top ranked high school quarterback prospects in the US. He earned good praise following his performance, and although it was relatively late in the recruiting process, Ohio State offered Smith a football scholarship. He verbally committed to the Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
, signing his letter of intent
Letter of intent
A letter of intent is a document outlining an agreement between two or more parties before the agreement is finalized. The concept is similar to a heads of agreement...
on February 6, 2002, the last player for the upcoming season.
Smith threw for 969 yards and 12 touchdowns in his senior year. He played alongside current San Francisco 49er, Ted Ginn, Jr.
Ted Ginn, Jr.
-College career:OSU track coach Russ Rogers recruited Ginn to run track, believing that he could qualify for the 2008 Olympics. However, his track career was put on hold in order to focus on football. Ginn was recruited as a defensive back by Ohio State....
, while leading Glenville to the state playoffs.
Smith also played three years of basketball and ran track (high jump, long jump and 1,600-meter relay). West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
and Ohio State recruited him. Smith accepted the last scholarship of Ohio State's 2002 football recruiting class.
College career
As a redshirtedRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
for the Buckeyes, Smith played sparingly at running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
in 2003.
Smith played the season opener against Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
as a scatback and returner, and he compiled fourteen yards rushing and 83 return yards. After the game, he came on the NFL scouting radar as an "athlete."
He entered his sophomore season as the backup quarterback to Justin Zwick
Justin Zwick
Justin Zwick is an American football quarterback who most recently played with the Columbus Destroyers in the now defunct Arena Football League. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2002-2006.-High school:...
, but took over as the starter when Zwick was injured halfway through the 2004 season against Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
. Smith won four of the five games he started in 2004, including a victory over the archrival Michigan Wolverines
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. Smith was suspended for breaking an undisclosed team rule before the Alamo Bowl
Alamo Bowl
The Alamo Bowl is a major American college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It matches the second choice team from the Pacific-12 Conference and the third choice team from the Big 12 Conference.Traditionally, the Alamo Bowl has been...
, with Coach Jim Tressel
Jim Tressel
James Patrick Tressel is a gameday consultant for the Indianapolis Colts, and former collegiate football head coach at both The Ohio State University from 2001 to 2011 and at Youngstown State University from 1986 to 2000. Tressel is most notable for his time at Ohio State. He was hired by the...
extending the suspension to include the first game of the 2005 season after it was revealed that Smith had accepted $500 from a booster.
With Smith at QB, Ohio State lost only two games in the 2005 regular season, and in only one of those, was Smith the starter. The first was to the eventual BCS National Champion
2006 Rose Bowl
The 2006 Rose Bowl Game, played on January 4, 2006, was a football game that served as the national championship of the 2005-2006 Bowl Championship Series...
Texas Longhorns
2005 Texas Longhorn football team
The 2005 Texas Longhorn football team represented the University of Texas at Austin during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season, winning the Big 12 Conference championship and the national championship. The team was coached by Mack Brown, led on offense by quarterback Vince Young, and played...
(which he did not start) and the other was to the Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
, co-Big Ten champions. Smith's 2005 stats included 2,282 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. This led to a passer rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
of 162.66, the fourth-highest of the season. He rushed for 611 yards and 11 touchdowns on 136 carries. In January 2006, he was named the Offensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
, after leading the Buckeyes to a 34-20 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
.
In the second week of the 2006 season, Smith and the Buckeyes took revenge for their 2005 loss to Texas. The top ranked Buckeyes won their rematch with the (again) second-ranked Longhorns, 24-7. Smith went 17-27 with 269 yards passing, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. For many fans and analysts, Smith's performance against the Longhorns gave credibility to the preseason Heisman Trophy hype he'd received. His passing statistics improved during the 2006 season, completing 67% of his passes for 2,507 yards, with 30 touchdowns and five interceptions. This led to a quarterback rating of 167.87, again fourth in the country.
Smith was one of five finalists for the 2006 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is given annually in the United States to the nation's outstanding senior quarterback in college football. It was established in 1987 by a foundation named for Johnny Unitas , the Hall of Fame quarterback who played his college career at the University of...
, given to the top senior college quarterback.
Teammates voted Smith the 2006 most valuable player. On 2006-12-07 the Davey O'Brien Foundation awarded Smith the Davey O'Brien Award
Davey O'Brien Award
The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
for best college quarterback. He defeated other finalists Colt Brennan
Colt Brennan
Colton "Colt" James Brennan is an American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....
of the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
and Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
of the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
.
In three games against Michigan, Smith has a total of 1,151 yards of total offense, two rushing touchdowns, and seven passing touchdowns. The Buckeyes won all three games, making Smith the first Ohio State quarterback since Tippy Dye
Tippy Dye
William Henry Harrison "Tippy" Dye is a noted former college athlete, coach, and athletic director in the United States. As a basketball head coach, Dye led the University of Washington to their only NCAA Final Four appearance...
(1934–1936) to quarterback in three victories over Michigan, and the first to win three straight games against Michigan as a starter.
Smith's college football career came to an end on January 8, 2007, when he and the Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
were beaten by the Florida Gators
Florida Gators
The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game
2007 BCS National Championship Game
The 2007 BCS National Championship Game, sponsored by Tostitos, was an American football game played at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on January 8, 2007. The BCS No. 2 Florida Gators defeated the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes, 41–14. The Buckeyes secured a spot by finishing...
, 41-14. Smith completed just four of 14 passes for 35 yards along with an interception, a fumble, and was sacked 5 times.
He graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications.
In 2010, Adam Rittenberg
Adam Rittenberg
Adam Rittenberg is a blogger and sports journalist for ESPN's college football section dedicated to the Big Ten Conference in college football. Before 2008 when he joined ESPN, he was a sports writer at Daily Herald in Illinois. Rittenberg is a graduate of Northwestern University and resides near...
of ESPN listed Smith as the "Big Ten player of the decade."
Heisman Trophy
Smith won the 2006 Heisman Memorial Trophy on December 9, 2006. He beat out sophomore RB Darren McFaddenDarren McFadden
Darren McFadden is an American football running back who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Arkansas from 2005 to 2007...
(2nd) from Arkansas and senior QB Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
(3rd), from Notre Dame.
In winning the 2006 Heisman, Smith took 86.7% of the first place votes, a record that has not been broken. His tally of 2,540 votes was the third largest behind that of the then-2005 Heisman Trophy winner, Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
of the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(2,541 votes) and 1968 Heisman winner O.J. Simpson who also played for USC (2,853 votes). His margin of victory (1,662 votes) was also the second largest in the history of the award, eclipsed only by O.J. Simpson who won by 1,750 votes.
Troy Smith joined Les Horvath (1944), Vic Janowicz (1950), Howard "Hopalong" Cassady (1955), Archie Griffin (1974 and 1975) and Eddie George (1995) as Ohio State Heisman winners.
Passing
| Year | Games | Attempts | Completions | Comp % | Yards | TDs | Interception | QB Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 8 | 122 | 68 | 55.7% | 896 | 8 | 3 | 134.15 |
| 2005 | 11 | 237 | 149 | 62.9% | 2,282 | 16 | 4 | 162.66 |
| 2006 | 12 | 311 | 203 | 65.3% | 2,542 | 30 | 6 | 161.91 |
| Career | 44 | 670 | 420 | 62.7% | 5720 | 54 | 13 | 159.72 |
Rushing
| Year | Games | Rushes | Yards | Average | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 0 |
| 2004 | 9 | 82 | 339 | 4.1 | 2 |
| 2005 | 11 | 136 | 611 | 4.5 | 11 |
| 2006 | 12 | 62 | 228 | 3.8 | 1 |
| Career | 45 | 283 | 1,197 | 4.2 | 14 |
Total offense
| Year | Games | Plays | Yards | Average | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 0 |
| 2004 | 9 | 204 | 1,235 | 6.0 | 10 |
| 2005 | 11 | 373 | 2,893 | 7.6 | 27 |
| 2006 | 12 | 359 | 2,740 | 7.6 | 31 |
| Career | 45 | 939 | 7,992 | 7.33 | 68 |
College awards
- 2006 Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
- 2006 Consensus All American2006 College Football All-America TeamThe 2006 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, CBS Sports, ESPN, College...
- 2006 Sporting News College Football Player of the Year
- 2006 Fiesta BowlFiesta BowlThe Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
MVP - 2006 Walter Camp AwardWalter Camp AwardThe Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football Player of the Year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A head coaches and sports information directors under the auspices of the Walter Camp Football Foundation;...
- 2006 Davey O'Brien AwardDavey O'Brien AwardThe Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
- 2006 Buckeyes MVPOhio State Buckeyes footballThe Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
- 2006 Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Player of the Year - 2006 Chicago TribuneChicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
Silver Football — Big Ten Most Valuable Player - 2006 Senior Bowl
Baltimore Ravens
As a graduating senior Smith entered professional football in the 2007 NFL Draft2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. Despite winning the Heisman Trophy, Smith saw his draft stock drop considerably after the 41-14 loss to Florida in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game. At 6'0", his height (considered smaller than ideal) was cited as a liability. Smith was quoted by the media urging his hometown team, the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, to select him in the NFL Draft. Fans also set up a website urging the Browns to take Smith. However, the Browns drafted Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
22nd overall in the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
reducing the chances of Smith going to Cleveland.
On Day 2, Smith was finally drafted at the end of the fifth round by the Baltimore Ravens. He signed a three-year contract with the Ravens on July 24, 2007. On August 27, 2007 Drew Olson
Drew Olson
Drew Martin Olson is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at UCLA...
was released by the Baltimore Ravens elevating Smith to the third string quarterback position. Smith was named second-string quarterback for the Ravens on November 13, 2007, backing up new starter Kyle Boller
Kyle Boller
Kyle Bryan Boller is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at The University of California.Boller has also played for the St...
after a shoulder injury to starter Steve McNair
Steve McNair
Stephen LaTreal McNair was an American football quarterback who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans....
. Ravens head coach Brian Billick maintained that Smith could be used in the future. "That's going to be a fun challenge for Troy, because now he's been around enough," Billick said. "The focus and attention that he brings to [preparing] is heightened."
Smith got his first regular season playing time in the fourth quarter of the home game against the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
on December 9, 2007, completing three of five pass attempts and scrambling 6 yards for his first NFL touchdown in the 44-20 loss. After his relative success against the Colts, many Baltimore Ravens fans were calling for Smith to replace Kyle Boller as the Ravens' starting quarterback. On December 16, 2007 Smith came in for an injured Kyle Boller in the game against the Miami Dolphins. Smith led the Ravens down the field for a field goal that forced overtime. The Ravens lost 22-16 in overtime, after a missed 44 yard field goal. On December 20, 2007, Kyle Boller officially was considered the backup due to injury for the Week 16 game, giving Troy Smith his first professional start against the Seattle Seahawks. He completed fewer than 50% of his passes and fumbled twice in this game. The Ravens lost 27-6, scoring a touchdown with about four minutes to play and the game out of reach. In Week 17 the Ravens beat the Steelers with Troy Smith starting again. He went 16-of-27 for 171 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions and no fumbles lost. This was the Ravens first win since Week 6, ending a 9-game losing streak with a bye at Week 8.
Smith finished his rookie season by totaling 506 total yards and three touchdowns in four games. He had 452 yards and two touchdowns passing and rushed for 54 yards and one touchdown.
Smith was scheduled to start in the third preseason game of the 2008 season
2008 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2008 Baltimore Ravens season was the 13th season for the team in the NFL. Despite having one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, the Ravens completed a major turnaround from the 2007 season, finishing the season with an 11–5 record and a playoff berth...
, but became ill with a rare disease called Lemierre's syndrome
Lemierre's syndrome
Lemierre's syndrome is a form of thrombophlebitis usually caused by the bacterium Fusobacterium necrophorum, and occasionally by other members of the genus Fusobacterium and usually affects young, healthy adults...
. Due to Smith's illness, rookie Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco
Flacco was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware...
was named to the Ravens' starting QB position. Early in the season Smith re-emerged in the offense as part of their two-quarterback offense, and was utilized for short-yardage runs. This offense featured Smith lining up at the wide receiver spot as well as under center. Smith appeared in only six of the Ravens' 19 games and had a total of 4 passing attempts for 82 yards in the 2008 season.
For the 2009 season
2009 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2009 Baltimore Ravens season is the franchise's 14th season as a team in the National Football League . The franchise entered the season off an 11–5 record in their previous season, a playoff berth, but a loss in the American Football Conference Championship game against the eventual Super...
, Flacco was named the starting quarterback for the second consecutive year, while Smith was active for only four of sixteen games. Smith completed five of nine passes for 24 yards with one interception during the season. In addition, he also rushed eight times for thirty-one yards, including his career-long fifteen-yard touchdown run.
Smith re-signed with the Ravens for one-year worth $1.101 million. Smith received the low 5th round tender as a restricted free agent. However, no team was willing to part ways with the coveted pick so Smith was not traded. After signing Marc Bulger
Marc Bulger
Marc Robert Bulger [] is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia....
as the team's backup to Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco
Flacco was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware...
, the Ravens released Smith on September 4.
San Francisco 49ers
On September 6, 2010, Smith signed with the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
.
On Oct 27, Troy Smith was announced as the starter, replacing an injured Alex Smith
Alex Smith
Alexander Douglas Smith is a professional American football player and starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Smith was drafted with the 1st-overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft by San Francisco from the University of Utah...
for San Francisco's game Oct 31 vs the Denver Broncos in London, England. During this game Smith ran for one TD and threw to Michael Crabtree
Michael Crabtree
Michael Alex Crabtree is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the 49ers with the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Texas Tech, where he received recognition as one of the nation's...
for another in a 49ers win. Smith actually excelled in the second half by going 8 for 10 for 159 yards, and leading the Niners to three fourth-quarter touchdown drives. The Niners won the game, 24-16. For Smith's quality performance, he was named Sports Illustrated NFL Offensive Player of the week.
On Nov 14, Troy Smith led the 49ers to an overtime victory over the Rams. Smith out-dueled Rams rookie Sam Bradford
Sam Bradford
Samuel Jacob "Sam" Bradford is an American football quarterback for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and played college football at Oklahoma. In 2008, as a redshirt sophomore, Bradford became the second sophomore to win a...
in this Heisman trophy quarterback matchup. He threw for 356 yards, one touchdown and ran for 12 yards without being intercepted.
On Nov 15, Troy Smith was named the new starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.
As of November 29, after a Monday night win over the Cardinals, Smith was 3-1 as the 49ers starting QB. In week 16, Smith was named the starting QB against the St.Louis Rams.
Smith was not re-signed by the 49ers.
Omaha Nighthawks
Smith was signed by the Omaha NighthawksOmaha Nighthawks
The Omaha Nighthawks are a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which plays in the United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010. For their first season, the Nighthawks played their home games at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium before moving to TD...
of the United Football League on September 2, 2011.
Regular Season
| Passing | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Gms | Att | Comp | Pct | Yds | YPA | Lg | TD | Int | Rating | Att | Yds | Lg | TD | Rec | Yds | TD |
| 2007 | Baltimore | 4 | 76 | 40 | 52.6% | 452 | 5.9 | 79 | 2 | 0 | 79.5 | 12 | 54 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | Baltimore | 6 | 4 | 3 | 75% | 82 | 20.5 | 43 | 1 | 0 | 156.2 | 9 | 24 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 0 |
| 2009 | Baltimore | 4 | 9 | 5 | 55.6% | 24 | 2.7 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 21.3 | 8 | 31 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | San Francisco | 6 | 145 | 73 | 50.3% | 1,176 | 8.1 | 66 | 5 | 4 | 77.8 | 23 | 121 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Personal life
He has advocated for the passage of the FIT Kids Act, federal legislation that would require school districts to report on students' physical activity and to give youngsters health and nutritional information.External links
