QB Troy Smith (2006 Heisman Trophy Winner)

[bkochmc]

Last week I said that I expected Troy's 3rd down efficiency would improve this week. The number improved 14.25 points in one game. *toot-toot*

Through 5 games:

...................comp....att....yards....TD....INT.....RATING
1st DOWN.......30.......45.....435.......3......1........165.42
2nd DOWN......33.......47.....433.......5......1........178.45
3rd DOWN.......21.......36.....202.......4......0........142.13
OVERALL.........84......128...1070......12.....2........163.66

Throwing 2 TD's on 3rd down did wonders for that rating.

 

[jwinslow]

Buckeye Picture Archive (mostly AP):

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch​

OSU NOTEBOOK
Swagger advocate
Smith tells teammates to believe, be focused
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

NEAL C . LAURON DISPATCH Ohio State freshman tailback Chris Wells rushed for a career-high 78 yards on 14 carries in the Buckeyes? 38-17 victory over Iowa.

A handful of voters in the three major polls have yet to make top-ranked Ohio State No. 1 on their ballots, but quarterback Troy Smith said there had better be a unanimous feeling about it among the Buckeyes.
"If there was a guy in the locker room who said that we weren?t the No. 1 team in the nation, he?d have a problem with me," Smith said. "Of course, you have to have that kind of attitude and that kind of swag."
He said there is nothing wrong with a team having a high opinion of itself, as long as it keeps its focus.
"We have to bring that back to Ohio State, that kind of punishing attitude that every team that we face is going to give us their best but that we will do the same for them," Smith said.
That might be put to the test this week, because nonconference foe Bowling Green (3-2) will come to town Saturday as a 34-point underdog.
Adding some bang

Highly regarded freshman tailback Chris "Beanie" Wells had his best performance yet at Iowa in an adjunct role to starter Antonio Pittman. While Pittman topped the 100-yard mark for the fourth time in five games this year, Wells gained 78 yards on 14 carries.
"It feels good just to know that I can go out there and do it," Wells said.
He doesn?t see himself as a power specialist, even though he?s often used in short-yardage situations.
"The running game always has had power. I?m just another piece," Wells said.
As for what took so long for him to be an often-used piece, he didn?t know.
"I felt like I knew the system since the beginning of the season, but I really couldn?t tell you why I was out there more (at Iowa)," Wells said. "I was just glad to be out there."
Ball hawk

Sophomore linebacker James Laurinaitis is gaining the reputation of a thief on the field. The first-year starter in the middle has a Big Ten-leading four interceptions, one each in the past four games. It?s the first time an OSU player has had that long a streak since defensive back Derek Ross picked off six passes over four games in 2001. The last linebacker to get as many as four in a season was Andy Katzenmoyer in 1996. Chris Spielman had six in 1986.
[email protected]

 

[SCBuck]

The comparison's to Vince Young are short-sided. IF you want make a comparison, Troy Smith is Donovan McNabb. He can run if he needs to, but is deadleir with his arm. Troy's progress continues to amaze me.

 

[matcar]

Personally, liken him to Elway. Troy can throw the ball a mile and is pretty good with the deep ball, and is a leader. However, I think if Troy can continue to improve on his accuracy, he could be a bit like Steve Young. Good passing form, great accuracy, hitting people in stride. And also capable of running. That would be awesome.

 

[SanClementeBuck]

That td pass (above), in traffic was nothing short of supercalafragilisticexpealidocious.

 

[sandgk]

Personally, liken him to Elway. Troy can throw the ball a mile and is pretty good with the deep ball, and is a leader. However, I think if Troy can continue to improve on his accuracy, he could be a bit like Steve Young. Good passing form, great accuracy, hitting people in stride. And also capable of running. That would be awesome.

I know what you mean (I think) in terms of Troy's ability to buy time and improvise, then make the tough throws. That said though I cannot see lavishing quite the high level of praise on Troy that mentioning him in the same breath as Elway requires. Not because I think Troy Smith isn't good, he is in fact very good indeed, probably playing better than any QB out there right now.
That said, Elway was in a totally different league from almost any player I recall seeing at the College level. In fact, I'm quite sure I have not seen anyone as good as Elway at the college level since he went to the Broncos. There were college QBs and then there was Elway.

 

[EyesofMarch]

Best QB in the country

It becomes more and more apparent every week. #10 has to be the #1 contender for Heisman.

:osu:

 

[osugrad21]

Link

QB Smith tops O'Brien watch

By Wendell Barnhouse

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Star-Telegram college football writer Wendell Barnhouse assesses the top candidates for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award:
1. Troy Smith, Ohio State: The favorite to win the Heisman Trophy could make it a double dip if he continues his solid (if not spectacular) play.
2. Brady Quinn, Notre Dame: The Irish defense will give up lots of points, so Quinn will be put in a position to respond. That means some gaudy statistics.
3. Chris Leak, Florida: With 14 touchdown passes, he is making the Gators' offense click in one of the nation's toughest conferences.
Waiting list: Chase Daniel, Missouri; Chad Henne, Michigan; Kevin Kolb, Houston; Erik Ainge, Tennessee;
JaMarcus Russell, LSU; Chase Holbrook, New Mexico State; Colt Brennan, Hawaii.

 

[HineyBuck]

From Jeff Amey's most excellent column on the Iowa game over on O-Zone:

​

"Looking at Troy's play for the game, he left no doubt that he's a Heisman caliber quarterback, with four touchdown passes in limited passing duties due to the success of the running game. The real joy is watching and listening to him not get sucked into the hype surrounding him. He credits his offensive line and coaching staff before allowing anything to be said about himself in interviews. With each big game that he performs well in, he is starting to cement a growing legendary status and may leave this program as its favorite all time quarterback. His growth from a whiny backup on a struggling team to the first Ohio State quarterback to garner serious Heisman consideration is a testament to the hard work put in by him and the coaching staff."

No doubt that he is Heisman caliber, but he may not get it because his stats may not be ssiizzlin' over this next series of games on our schedule. But Heisman or not, if he finishes the season like he's started it, and continues to demonstrate character, humility, leadership, and grace, he will have earned legendary status.
:osu:

 

[JohnnyCockfight]

The TD pass to Robiskie in the Iowa game still amazes me thinking back about it. No other quarterback in the nation makes that throw. I mean no one else even comes close.

At first, I was in disbelief that he threw it--there was no way Robo was open on that route, he was covered like a blanket. Troy laced the proverbial thread through the needle with that pass. It had to have sucked all hope from the defensive back, who had defended the play well.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

Personally, liken him to Elway. Troy can throw the ball a mile and is pretty good with the deep ball, and is a leader. However, I think if Troy can continue to improve on his accuracy, he could be a bit like Steve Young. Good passing form, great accuracy, hitting people in stride. And also capable of running. That would be awesome.

elway? hopefully you dont mean john elway. step away from the crack pipe. im sorry not even close, no way, no how, period.

 

[restless]

elway? hopefully you dont mean john elway. step away from the crack pipe. im sorry not even close, no way, no how, period.

Being too young to have watched Elway (luckily not too young to watch Troy), I probalby don't know what I'm talking about. But Troy led his team back from behind twice against archirival was pretty heroic. Not to mention his performance against ND, Texas, etc.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

elway? hopefully you dont mean john elway. step away from the crack pipe. im sorry not even close, no way, no how, period.

Isn't that a tinsy bit harsh?

 

[osugrad21]

Blade

OSU's Smith a threat; opponents fret
Buckeyes quarterback efficient

By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

COLUMBUS - The opposition does not need anything else to fret about concerning Troy Smith. When preparing to face the Ohio State quarterback, they already crack out the worry beads, gnaw on the fingernails, and lay awake most of the night.
Smith presents a versatility few possess. He has the cannon arm for the deep throws, the finesse for the touch passes, and the sense to immediately recognize when his best option is simply throwing the ball away. And then there is his running ability. When Smith tucks the ball and turns upfield, he is as rugged as any tailback, and as elusive as some of the best. You can add to the list of Mr. Smith's extensive talents the fact that he is ambidextrous. Smith throws right-handed, and writes left-handed. Not a big deal in football terms, but that might mean that Smith could toss the shovel pass as a southpaw, if needed - one more thing to stress over. Through five games, the 6-1 senior from Cleveland has the Buckeyes unbeaten, unscathed, and so far, essentially unchallenged. And still No. 1 in the nation with Bowling Green coming to Ohio Stadium on Saturday. "Right now, I feel like Troy is at a very high level in terms of his understanding of the game," junior wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez said yesterday. "His command of the game and the offense is unbelievable. He literally does not make a mistake." Smith leads the Big Ten in passing efficiency, the stat that is near and dear to Ohio State coach Jim Tressel. It does not reward just the most yards and the most attempts, it is what you do with the passes you throw that matters. Smith has connected on 84 of 128 passes for 1,070 yards and a Big Ten best 12 touchdowns after throwing for four scores in last weekend's win over Iowa. His 65.6 percent completion rate is the highest in the conference. His two interceptions give him the second-lowest total among Big Ten starters. "Troy has always been very careful with the football," Tressel said. "However many interceptions he has here at Ohio State, I would bet you a high percentage of them are deep throws, or deflected balls." Tressel said one key indicator of Smith's growth and maturation as a quarterback is his vision, and the ability to assess risk-reward situations in the micro-seconds he has to unload the ball. "Troy is very aware. One play during the Iowa game, he came off and I said, 'Troy, the post might have been open.' He said, 'No, Coach, you'll see on the film that it wasn't.' And he was right. He's very aware of where people are and very careful. And he understands the importance of that turnover margin." Smith is running less, and producing much more. Through his first five games a year ago, Smith had carried the ball 71 times on designed running plays, scrambles or sacks. This year through five games that total is 22 carries. "My comfort level out there is totally different from last year, and that's a credit to the people around me," Smith said. "My teammates have helped me grow as we've grown as a team. Those two things have to happen together. I just want to keep focused, keep studying the film, and stay on course." While others have faded from the spotlight, through the first five games Smith has done nothing to damage his status as one of the primary contenders for the Heisman Trophy. Tressel said he is aware of the Heisman talk in the Ohio State locker room, and considers that a source of pride among Smith's teammates. "I overheard someone in an interview one time saying 'I block for the guy that's up for the Heisman' or whatever, so I would think they do discuss it. Again, we don't discuss it [as a team]. They may sit around discussing it. But wishing for good things to happen to your teammates is not a bad thing." Gonzalez, who caught two touchdown passes from Smith in the 38-17 win over the Hawkeyes, said the Ohio State quarterback has made steady, measurable improvement. "I just see Troy continuing down that path he's been on since he got here," Gonzalez said. "He has always been very competitive, and he has become more and more productive and very successful. Watching how his career has developed is an exciting thing to observe."