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QB Troy Smith (2006 Heisman Trophy Winner)

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DDN

Tom Archdeacon: Big-game Smith locks up Heisman


By Tom Archdeacon
Staff Writer

Sunday, November 19, 2006


COLUMBUS ? On a day when the loss of one of the greatest icons of the Ohio State-Michigan series was on the minds of so many here, another star rose up once again, and this time Troy Smith forever put his image on The Game.
While former Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler ? who died of a heart attack on the eve of this game ? was memorialized Saturday at Ohio Stadium, the OSU quarterback was immortalized.
In one of college football's biggest showdowns ever, Smith not only led the unbeaten, No. 1-ranked Buckeyes to a 42-39 victory over Michigan and a berth in the national championship game ? he threw for 316 yards and four touchdowns Saturday ? he also won himself the Heisman Trophy.
There is no other way someone can vote. Not after this season and especially this game.
"I would think he clinched the trophy; I don't think there's any question about that," OSU coach Jim Tressel said. "I think he's the best player in college football."
Smith has shown that throughout this 12-0 season ? his 30 touchdown passes are an OSU single-season record ? but he especially shows it when the Buckeyes play Michigan.
He's started three games against the Wolverines, won them all and has accounted for 1,080 total yards, more than any other player in the 103-year history of the series.
One guy who has watched many of those games ? 91-year-old former OSU quarterback William "Tippy" Dye ? was back at the Horseshoe Saturday from his California home. Before the game, he talked about the three victories he had over Michigan and especially the greatness he sees in Smith: "He's as tough as they come."
Dye should know. He told how he kept the plays for the 1934 game written on a card he stored in his helmet. During the game, he suffered a crushing blow, the helmet popped off, and he lost the play card. He still led the Buckeyes to a 34-0 victory.
It was the same for Smith, who withstood several potential KO blows by the Wolverines and yet bounced right back up. He said he learned much of that give-no-quarter approach from the 2002 national title team:
"I wasn't playing then (he was a redshirt freshman), but every time that team put its shoulder pads on, we knew we weren't gonna lose. The seniors made us feel that then, and that's what I'm trying to do now."
And he does it with a deft touch. Every time he was singled out for praise Saturday, he turned the tributes toward his teammates:
"I love every single one of my teammates with the deepest passion you can probably have for another person."
He said they're the reason he's in the running for the Heisman:
"You can be the hands-down most electrifying player in college football and lose two or three games, and you're out of it. But we're 12-0. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here for (the Heisman)."
Even more than his teammates, he owes thanks to Ted Ginn Sr., who not only coached him in high school, but took him in as his son when his mom struggled.
Saturday, Smith made sure that Ginn was on the field for the pre-game salute to the seniors and their parents: "He deserved that respect. He made me a man."
And now that "man" was asked what he thought the late Schembechler and especially Woody Hayes ? the 3-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust OSU coach ? would think of a 42-39 shootout.
Smith smiled: "It would depend on who won."
But then if Troy Smith is the starting quarterback, you'd know who won.
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Canton

Smith assured of Heisman, status as Buckeye legend
Sunday, November 19, 2006
SPORTS SPOTLIGHT TODD PORTER

COLUMBUS

When Saturday morning finally rolled around, and a football game that?s been hyped for more than a month was here, Troy Smith had to have a special feeling. The allure of sport is both in its predictability and its unpredictability.
You know how a good book or movie ends.
And Troy Smith knew how Saturday would end. That?s the beauty of Ohio State?s 42-39 win over Michigan in the 103rd, and biggest, meeting of these rivals.
?I remember thinking to myself, ?How many people are fortunate enough to be in a situation when they wake up in the moring, they know that morning is going to be one of the most important days in their life?? Buckeye wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez said. ?When we woke up in the morning, we knew this day was going to be something special for somebody, and we wanted to be on the right side of that.?
Gonzalez didn?t seem at all worried. He calls Smith teammate. And it was Smith who took a not-so-kind approach to his teammates the finally kicked them in their rear-ends.
By the time Smith got to the Ohio State bench in the fourth quarter, he couldn?t hold in his emotions any longer. The Ohio State quarterback had just watched his team turn the ball over for the third time in this mega-game.
In the first half, the Buckeyes did what they wanted, when they wanted. Michigan scored first. OSU answered.
?The first thing that went through my mind was it?s going to be a long day,? Smith said of UM?s first touchdown. ?... You get into a situation where the other team is not backing down, you better bring a lunch pail. They played every play. That?s how you want them. You wouldn?t want to play someone who hides. You want to play someone who sticks their chest out.?
Then Smith lost it. Ohio State lost it. Their spunk fizzled away as the sun set. They sputtered, they struggled. They looked, well, almost bored.
Then Smith helped the Buckeyes win it.
?I wasn?t down in the dumps. I was pissed,? Smith said. ?I was quote-unquote pissed. I just felt as if we weren?t playing to our ability. I knew we could do much, much better than we were doing.?
Smith gathered his offensive teammates around him. He ripped into them. He fired them up. He recaptured the edge Ohio State almost lost.
On the next drive, the Buckeyes scored the game-clinching touchdown. Smith trusted his offensive linemen to provide great protection. They did.
He trusted Brian Robiskie to put a double move on Michigan cornerback Morgan Trent. He did.
Smith trusted himself to throw a ball that Robiskie either caught, or it broke his ribs. Robiskie caught the ball, toed the left corner of the end zone and scored.
Yeah, Smith is pretty special.
Three starts against Michigan, three wins. Three sets of gold pants charms, given to Ohio State players for wins over Michigan.
?We all have sets of gold pants that mean the world,? Smith said. ?The first one, when I first got them, looked just a little ... like a Christmas tree ornament. It didn?t mean that much to me at first. Now it means the world. You have to go through tough situations, and tough games like today to earn those.?
Never mind that Smith looked every bit the part of Heisman Trophy candidate the way he lit of Michigan?s great defense. He completed 29-of-41 passes for 316 yards and four touchdowns. Smith completed passes to eight receivers. Michigan didn?t know which of the five track athletes with great hands to pick up.
He practically has made a career out of beating Lloyd Carr?s defenses.
?It?s not me beating Michigan,? Smith said. ?It?s the team that lined up and took the field every year I got to start at quarterback that beat Michigan. They?re also 3-0.?
Smith was brutalized by the Wolverine pass rush. LaMarr Woodley and Alan Branch looked every bit the part of first-round draft picks. Rondell Biggs smacked Smith and buried him in the grass at Ohio Stadium a couple of times.
?His No. 1 quality if toughness,? Head Coach Jim Tressel said. ?If you want to be a champion as a quarterback, toughness is No. 1. He stands in there, and he knows it?s part of the game, and he pops up for the next one. You can?t be what I think is the All-American quarterback without being tough.?
When Shawn Crable?s helmet-to-helmet, out-of-bounds hit knocked Smith to the ground on the Buckeye sideline, he popped right up.
NFL scouts say Smith is too short to play quarterback. They don?t measure heart in the NFL. Not enough.
?I would think he clinched the Heisman Trophy,? Tressel said. ?I don?t think there?s any doubt about that.?
For the season, Smith has 30 touchdown passes and four picks. He has three wins over Michigan.
Troy Smith turned into more than a Heisman Trophy shoo-in Saturday.
He became a Buckeye legend. Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: [email protected]
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Let's not let one more post be made in this thread without someone saying that Troy might be one of the toughest QBs to take a snap at any school. He took some extremely nasty shots (some blind even) and never hobbled for a second or got up slow once. WHAT A WARRIOR.
 
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TheMorningJournal

Smith settles Heisman dispute
JASON LLOYD, Morning Journal Writer
11/19/2006


COLUMBUS -- The little debate that remained over the Heisman Trophy was resolved during yesterday's 34-29 win over Michigan.


Quarterback Troy Smith threw for 316 yards and four touchdowns, connecting with eight different receivers and becoming just the second quarterback in school history to direct three-straight wins over Michigan. The performance likely sealed the Heisman Trophy for him.

''I would think he clinched the Heisman Trophy, I don't think there would be any question about that,'' coach Jim Tressel said. ''I think he's the best player in college football.''

Smith finishes the regular season with 2,507 yards, 30 touchdown passes and five interceptions. The 30 touchdown passes are a new school record, surpassing Bobby Hoying's 29 in 1995.

Smith is the first quarterback to direct three straight wins over Michigan since Tippy Dye did it from 1934-36. Dye, now 94, was supposed to be part of the tunnel of pride on the field the players run through before the game.

''It's not me beating Michigan, it's the team that is lined up and took the field every year ... that beat Michigan,'' Smith said. ''They're also 3-0.''

Rematch?

The players felt all the bumps and bruises following yesterday's physical win. That means not everyone would be overly thrilled should a rematch occur Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz.

''Right now, I don't want to play them again,'' defensive end Jay Richardson said. ''That was a heck of a game. They are a great team and that was the most physical, competitive game I've ever been apart of. They deserve a lot of credit, too.

''If we had to go at it again, it would be an even bigger game. It would be the biggest game ever. We'd have to strap it up and get ready for another one.''

Before the game, Tressel said he hadn't given much thought to a rematch. Afterward, that hadn't changed much.

''There's football to be played and we don't usually worry about things until all the football is played,'' Tressel said. ''I think Michigan is a very deserving football team. There can't be many teams in the nation better than Michigan.''

Not so good

Even though his team lost, Michigan tailback Mike Hart wasn't overly impressed with Ohio State's defense yesterday. Michigan scored 39 points and ran up 397 yards of offense against the Buckeyes.

Hart ran for 142 yards and three touchdowns, marking just the second time Michigan has lost when he has rushed for at least 100 yards.

''They're defense played good, but they aren't as good as people thought,'' Hart said. ''There's nothing special about that defense.''

OSU linebacker James Laurinaitis was given a chance to respond.

''That's Mike's opinion,'' he said. ''I don't have anything to say back to him. He's a great running back and a great player. We're just going to enjoy this one.''

Welcome back

Roy Hall made his reappearance yesterday with three catches for 38 yards and a touchdown. Hall has been plagued by ankle problems this year and wasn't much of a factor in the offense, but he caught a big third-down conversion on OSU's opening drive and capped that drive off with a 1-yard touchdown catch.

''As always, (Troy Smith) makes good decisions,'' Hall said of the third-down conversion. ''That was the best decision at the time and I happened to be on the receiving end of that pass.''

Extra points

The Buckeyes have now won 19 straight games, tied for the second-longest streak in school history. The school record is 22 straight, from 1967-69 ... Ohio State has won consecutive Big Ten titles for the first time since winning six straight from 1972-77 ... Laurinaitis led the defense with nine tackles ... Ohio State still trails in the all-time series against Michigan, 57-40-6 ... Ted Ginn has caught a pass in 31 straight games ... Paul Warfield served as the honorary captain yesterday.

[email protected]

?The Morning Journal 2006
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ToledoBlade

Buckeyes cast a vote, say Smith is deserving of Heisman

By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER


COLUMBUS - The Ohio State camp is convinced you won't need a lot of analysis and polling to figure out who is going to win the Heisman Trophy this season as the nation's best college football player.

The Buckeyes think the race is over, and the issue is settled.

"I think he has the Heisman for sure now," Ohio State wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. said about the Buckeyes' senior quarterback Troy Smith after Smith led his team to a 42-39 win over rival Michigan yesterday evening.

"He deserves it for all of the work he has done, coming in here every day, and being a great leader. Like Troy said, it is a team award, but since they give it to one guy, it should go to him."

Smith put the finishing touches on his personal Heisman campaign by throwing four touchdown passes against Michigan, including what proved to be the game-winner with less than six minutes left in the game. Smith finished the day 29-of-41 passing for 316 yards.

"I would think he clinched the Heisman Trophy," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said about Smith, who would become only the second Big Ten quarterback to win the prestigious award. The other was Ohio State's Les Horvath, a quarterback, halfback and safety on the 1944 Buckeyes' team.

"I don't think there'd be any question about that. I think he's the best player in college football."

Smith brushed off the speculation about the Heisman, which last came to an Ohio State player in 1995 when Eddie George won the award.

"I think the Heisman Trophy is a team award," Smith said. "If we go into a situation, I don't care who you are, you can be hands-down the most electrifying player in college football and lose two or three games and you're out of that.

"It's a team award first and foremost because our team is 12-0. I owe them everything in the world. If it wasn't for them in these situations, I wouldn't even be here for any of the accolades that I do receive, and all the credit in the world goes to my team and my coaching staff."

Smith, who cemented his legacy at Ohio State by beating Michigan for a third straight time, has led the Buckeyes to 19 consecutive wins, and is now 25-2 as the starting quarterback.

"I think the Heisman is his," Ohio State senior center Doug Datish said, "I thinkTroy's earned it, and he definitely deserves it. He's carried this team at times, and made everyone else around him better. He is the most competitive person I've ever known, and his desire to win is contagious. We've gone 12-0 and won the Big Ten championship because he led us there."

Smith stayed humble, downplaying his role in the recent domination of Michigan.

"I've said it time and time again. That it's not me beating Michigan -- it's the team that lined up and took the field every year that I got to start as quarterback that beat Michigan," Smith said. "They're also 3-0. The teams that I've been able to play with, and been privileged to play with, they deserve that, to be 3-0 against Michigan."

Smith, who was sacked four times by Michigan, and took several wicked hits in the game, said he would not allow himself to think about being hurt.

"I live and I play through everybody else," Smith said. "I come back to the huddle, when I stare at 10 guys in the huddle, eyes wide open, alert, and ready to dominate the opposing team, I come to the sideline and there's 105 plus guys, eyes wide open and ready to do everything and anything they can in support of our team.

"So there's no way that I can get into a situation where I feel as if my legs hurt, my knee is hurt, my elbow is hurt, and limp up or act like something is wrong with my body. I could never shortchange any of my teammates."
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Cornerback6;665805; said:
Let's not let one more post be made in this thread without someone saying that Troy might be one of the toughest QBs to take a snap at any school. He took some extremely nasty shots (some blind even) and never hobbled for a second or got up slow once. WHAT A WARRIOR.
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yup, thats the advantage of him being so thick.. one hell of a game and one hell of a year
 
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Cornerback6;665805; said:
Let's not let one more post be made in this thread without someone saying that Troy might be one of the toughest QBs to take a snap at any school. He took some extremely nasty shots (some blind even) and never hobbled for a second or got up slow once. WHAT A WARRIOR.
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Yeah, it struck me the difference from only a year ago with Gary Danielson saying over and over, "...Smith is a real YMCA type player, a real back yard gamer....."

Then love him or hate him, Mussberger started saying in the Fiesta that Smith was "...one of the best Quarterbacks in College Football"

So, you're right, with a young line sometimes letting the pressure through combined with Smith's self re-invention to Pocket Passer, he took a lot of hits last night, and still threw a click under 70%. Amazing!

Saw TS late with the game day guys, great interview! One of the great all time QB's in college football, and obviously not for insane passing yardage. It's all about the clutch plays in big games.
 
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Link

Smith all but ends Heisman race
Buckeyes insist he 'clinched' trophy


November 19, 2006
BY HERB GOULD Staff Reporter

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Downtown Athletic Club won't tally the votes for a couple of weeks, but Ohio State is projecting Troy Smith will win the Heisman Trophy in a landslide.

''I would think he clinched it,'' Jim Tressel, the Buckeyes' normally cautious coach, said unequivocally. ''I don't think there would be any question about that. He's the best player in college football.''
Going into Ohio State's big game Saturday against Michigan, Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn appeared to be the only serious threat -- and only if Smith flopped against the Wolverines. Even Quinn, the reasoning went, would need to have a monster game against USC to put some heat on Smith.
Instead, Smith got the job done against Michigan. He was 29-for-41 for 316 yards and four touchdowns.
''Words can't describe how I feel,'' Smith said. ''I'll probably be wearing this smile for the rest of this week.''
He did throw an interception, but that was after a ball was tipped. And the Buckeyes' two fumbles, which came on misfired shotgun snaps, were out of his hands, so to speak.
''The first one was high,'' center Doug Datish said. ''The second one got caught in a divot on the field. There's no excuse. That's my duty -- to give Troy the ball -- and I didn't do very good on those two plays.''
Those uncharacteristic mistakes might have left some Ohio State fans wondering whether Michigan legend Bo Schembechler -- who died Friday morning, hours after giving the Wolverines a pregame pep talk -- was looking down favorably upon the maize and blue. But there was no room for sentiment in the Horseshoe.
In the third quarter, steamed about the turnovers that had let the Wolverines back into a game the Buckeyes had been dominating, Smith prowled the Ohio State sideline, jawing.
''I wasn't down in the dumps,'' Smith said. ''I was [ticked] off because we weren't playing to our abilities. I knew we could do much better. Everybody was very accepting of the things I had to say, and we moved on.''
There were a number of strong offensive performances.
Tailback Antonio Pittman ran for 139 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown, and tailback Chris Wells burst free for a 52-yard score.
Ted Ginn Jr. had eight catches for 104 yards to head a huge day for the Buckeyes' receivers. Brian Robiskie caught seven passes for 89 yards, including a 13-yarder for a touchdown that proved to be the game-winning score.
But as Tressel indicated, Smith locked up the Heisman with his big day.
''Both offenses were making plays,'' said Michigan quarterback Chad Henne, who passed for 142 yards and three touchdowns. ''But Troy Smith's a great quarterback. He proved that today.''
Ginn couldn't have been happier for Smith, his former high school teammate in Cleveland. ''Oh, yeah, for sure he sewed it up,'' Ginn said. ''He played his heart out every play -- no matter if he was getting smacked in the mouth or making a touchdown pass. He's just a great player. Words can't explain how much he means to this team.''
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Wow. This would be quite an accomplishment if Smith wins the Heisman.

He goes from being a sort of utility player in 2002 and a few off field mistakes in 2003 to beating Michigan 3 straight years, leading the Bucks to 2 BCS games, a National Championship appearance and likely a Heisman. This could be a story sold to Disney if they tried hard enough. He could be leaving OSU in a few months knowing that his authentic jersey will sit for sale at high dollar amount among the past Heisman winners. What an accomplishment...What a man!

Congrats to Troy, his family and his team.
 
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I don't think I can even fathom what Troy has had to deal with this year. It's easy to forget Troy is just a college kid and it's remarkable the way he's handled himself and his leadership role this year.
The expectations were out of this world, for both him and the team. Every game brought intense scrutiny and pressure, especially for Troy being the best player on the best team. It culminated in one of the biggest media frenzies sport has ever seen. Again, much of the focus was on Troy.
Troy took it all on his shoulders and gave us yet another legendary big-game performance. The on the field performance and leadership, coupled with Troy's off the field growth during his time at tOSU, make him one of the greatest Buckeye football player ever. A win in Glendale might just take out the "one of".
 
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It's pretty safe to say that Troy Smith has secured his spot with the all time greats in OSU history. What he has accomplished in his career won't be matched by many others in our lifetime. He is a stand up individual, and is a fantastic leader on this team. A national championship would be the icing on the cake.
 
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