QB Troy Smith (2006 Heisman Trophy Winner)

[WaitingforKickoff]

Getting acclimated to the game and the lifestyle may be pay dividends for Troy. So getting snubbed in the second round may actually be a blessing in disguise.

 

[moogster66]

Enough talk about who is the best Buckeye!

Troy did it! I love the guy, his skills, his leadership of this team. Watching him play this year has been so exciting. But enough talk on who the best Buckeye is! Do you think Troy is actually worrying about that now!!!?? Come on Buckeye fans. Each of our players is an intricate part of our success! When Troy accepted the trophy, he thanked his linemen by name. And shame on us for choosing who is best! Each of our players is the best in my opinion. And we should never forget how important each of those names mounted up in Ohio Stadium are to our history and tradition. Each one has a story to tell. And those names are up there because they had the best coaches, players and fans supporting them! GO BUCKS! DESTROY FLORIDA!:osu:

 

[ScarletBlood31]

Troy could go to Cleveland or Houston and he'd be considered a bust.

I seriously think that i'd cry if he went to either of those teams. Especially Houston.

Getting acclimated to the game and the lifestyle may be pay dividends for Troy. So getting snubbed in the second round may actually be a blessing in disguise.

Very true. Many great NFL QBs were not top 10 picks, or necessarily even in the first round.

 

[SanClementeBuck]

Forget Troy's obvious qb talent. His character will make him a pro all-star. no doubt in my mind.

 

[sandgk]

I seriously think that i'd cry if he went to either of those teams. Especially Houston.



Very true. Many great NFL QBs were not top 10 picks, or necessarily even in the first round.

Which is exactly why I hope none of the team managers listen to Gil Brandt, for Troy's sake. Let the myth of height be seen as a shortcoming from pick 1 through whatever - then he may get a look from teams that actually have the personnel in front of him to give him a chance to succeed.

If it is his dream to play for the Browns, which in all likelihood is really the case, he can get in there on FA or trade in future years - when the Browns have the personnel to let his talents flourish.

Meanwhile Quinn and Russel can go to a basket-case teams as the earlier QB picks.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

The name I can't figure out is Russell as being high on any draft boards. Last I checked an NFL QB needs to exhibit some decision making skills.... well.... to be any good at that level... and I've never seen anything from Russell which indicates he's ever improved in that area. No question, he's a physical talent, but - and admittedly, I don't watch LSU football week in and week out - I think he has yet to show he can be "trusted" to manage a game correctly.

In this respect, Troy is heads and shoulder above him..... and I'd argue above Quinn too, though it's certainly a closer call with him (Quinn) than it is with Russell.

 

[WaitingforKickoff]

The name I can't figure out is Russell as being high on any draft boards. Last I checked an NFL QB needs to exhibit some decision making skills.... well.... to be any good at that level... and I've never seen anything from Russell which indicates he's ever improved in that area. No question, he's a physical talent, but - and admittedly, I don't watch LSU football week in and week out - I think he has yet to show he can be "trusted" to manage a game correctly.

In this respect, Troy is heads and shoulder above him..... and I'd argue above Quinn too, though it's certainly a closer call with him (Quinn) than it is with Russell.

The same thing could be said for Quinn, in verbatim. In fact, Quinn has had more to work with in terms of talent at WR, being in a pass friendly system, playing under the national spotlight, etc etc.

In terms of actual accomplishments? Quinn certainly has not led his team to a big win yet and neither is he about to. It's one thing when the ND offense is churning out touchdown after touchdown in spite of its defense, but it's something else when the offense sputters just as badly as the defense in big games. That right there should send red signal to GMs who are looking to draft franchise QB.

What is more alarming is that Quinn's play has actually regressed this season. Quinn wasn't as good against SC and no where close to where he was against Michigan.

The NFL will draft Quinn ahead of Smith for the same reason Simms started over Applewhite. They see a 6-4 220 kid with an arm. Luckily for Quinn, the GMs never learn from their lessons.

 

[Okinawa's#1Buck]

NFL scouts will make the same mistake with Smith that they did with Brees. It's absolutely criminal that some people still consider Michigan State's Drew Stanton (never had a single defining win) and LSU's JaMarcus Russell (immense physical talents but not polished yet) better draft prospects than Smith. . . . .


This year, it's Smith's height. The critics act like an ewok is trying to become an NFL starter. On the other side of it, Quinn's coach and his offensive system are already the most overrated traits of any prospect. I'm not trying to take anything away from Quinn, who put up the numbers to justify his being the No. 1 pick in April, but there were very few games in which his presence alone was responsible for the Irish's winning. You never got the feeling he won the game. Besides, Quinn's most defining win this season was a comeback against a bad Michigan State team. Notre Dame hasn't beaten a top-10 team since Charlie Weis arrived in South Bend. Quinn has yet to win a bowl game and he perennially gets served up by rival USC. But there is your Maxwell Award winner for the best player in college football.
:

Some hard hitting points. I think someone's been reading BP! Check for a copyright violation!

Seriously, well said and a shock to find on ESPiN. These 2 paragraphs really stood out as gold.

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

Can Smith succeed as a quarterback in NFL?

By Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer

Monday, December 11, 2006
All year, as Troy Smith has quarterbacked Ohio State into the national championship game, those watching him have wondered about his future.
His personal future seems on a much better track than it was several years ago. He has his college degree, has fully reunited with his mother and seems to understand the responsibilities of being an adult.
But what about his football future?
As part of its coverage about Smith winning the Heisman Trophy on Saturday, ESPN.com listed the past nine quarterbacks who have won the award. They are Smith, Matt Leinart, Jason White, Carson Palmer, Eric Crouch, Chris Weinke, Danny Wuerffel, Charlie Ward and Gino Torretta.
How many of those great college quarterbacks have moved on to success in the NFL? Just Palmer.
So the question remains: Can Smith succeed at quarterback in the NFL?
Yes, he can, as long as he is given the chance.
The major knock on him seems to be his height, and I can't argue that he would be shorter than many of the successful quarterbacks in the league. But he also adds a muscled frame, a strong and accurate throwing arm, quick decision-making and composure in pressure situations.
If this were the end of last season, I wouldn't be so sure. He had established himself as more of a running threat, yet that has changed. After rushing 136 times for 611 yards last season, he ran just 62 times for 233 yards this year, despite the same chances to leave the pocket.
But now, he's a complete quarterback, and he can do it in the NFL.

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

SMITH COMING TO GLENVILLE



Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith is coming home for a celebration.
Smith, Ohio State's quarterback who received college football's top individual honor Saturday night, will be honored Wednesday afternoon at Glenville High School, his alma mater.
The celebration begins at 3 in the auditorium. It is open to the public.

The auditorium holds about 700 people and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Glenville is at 650 East 113th St.

 

[Steve19]

These things are great and so very much deserved, but it will all wait, Troy. The finish line is reached only after the NC game.

 

[BuckeyeGanoosh]

What a year. It's going to hard seeing Troy go, but what more could you ask for in a buckeye?
:osu:

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

CPD

SMITH COMING TO GLENVILLE



Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith is coming home for a celebration.
Smith, Ohio State's quarterback who received college football's top individual honor Saturday night, will be honored Wednesday afternoon at Glenville High School, his alma mater.
The celebration begins at 3 in the auditorium. It is open to the public.

The auditorium holds about 700 people and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Glenville is at 650 East 113th St.

All I can say is I hope they have plenty of crowd-control personnel. Holding this at an auditorium that holds 700 and announcing it in the Plain Dealer? Are you serious? If fewer than 1500 people show up I will be very surprised.

Who knows; maybe no one reads the paper any more.

 

[korchiki]

Random thought...but does him winning the heisman mean that he will be on the cover for NCAA 08...i know its early but I just thought about it

 

[sandgk]

No, there is no guarantee of such a thing happening. Doesn't mean it will not happen. Merely no guarantee - for all we know Brady Quinn or Calvin Johnson will make the cover.