TROY SMITH & ANTHONY GONZALEZ
Single minded
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer reporter
Columbus ? The first time they met, as Anthony Gonzalez remembers it, the message was simple and clear. It was a high school track meet when Gonzalez was a junior at St. Ignatius, and Troy Smith, then a Glenville senior whom Gonzalez knew only by athletic reputation, came over to introduce himself.
?You?re Gonzalez, right?? Smith said.
?Great. I?ll throw it and you catch it. See you in a year.?
This season, 37 times Smith has thrown it and Gonzalez has caught it. (Justin Zwick has one completion to Gonzalez.)
This connection between Ohio State?s quarterback and No. 2 receiver, especially on third down, is one of the crucial parts of the offense that?s driving the No. 1 team in the country.
Gonzalez has converted third downs into first downs 12 times, nearly twice as often as any Buckeyes receiver. He?s been thrown to 16 times on third down and caught 12; Ted Ginn Jr. has converted seven first downs in 14 third-down passes thrown his way; Brian Robiskie is 7-of-8; and the rest of the team, combined, is 6-of-22 on converting third-down passes.
Part of that is the offensive scheme, with Gonzalez so often lining up in the slot against a slower linebacker or safety and running slants and crossing routes that are perfect for those third-down pickups. Smith adamantly insists his favorite receiver is whoever?s open, so he isn?t playing favorites. And the quarterback is almost like a brother to Ginn, Ohio State?s No. 1 receiver and his former teammate at Glenville High.
But the relationship between Smith and Gonzalez illustrates how a quarterback?s off-field approach can influence on-field success. Gonzalez, the former St. Ignatius star, and Smith, who arrived at Glenville by way of St. Edward, have developed a mutual respect since their time on the Buckeyes? scout team in 2003.
Even during the preseason, before Gonzalez had burst on the scene as one of the most improved players in college football, his admiration for his quarterback was clear, Gonzalez acknowledging he could turn to Smith for anything. As teammate Brian Hartline admits that third-and-long has become known as third-and-Gonzo this season, it?s no surprise Smith and Gonzalez are in step when the Buckeyes need them most. ?I talked to Troy about this, and I think we value the same things when it comes to relationships with people,? said Gonzalez, ?and I think that?s part of why we have such a good relationship on and off the field.?
Gonzalez has been a staunch defender of Smith in the tough times and advocate during his success, saying after the Fiesta Bowl last season that he?d take Smith over any quarterback in the country. Since that track meet, Smith has grown to admire Gonzalez as well.
?Gonzo is one of the most interesting people you can talk to,? Smith said. ?He?s flat-out intelligent, and when it comes to anything you deal with, he?s one of the most humble and level-headed guys you can be around.
I know we?ll grow as people as we get older.?
Gonzalez said they made strides during his first season in Columbus, when he was redshirting and Smith was often running the scout team as a freshman, having redshirted his first season in 2002.
?I think we started to develop some chemistry there,? said Gonzalez, ?because a lot of the time on scout team he can kind of tell you more how he wants you to run a route and how he wants you to get open.?
So, that?s where it started.
Smith, though, remembers Gonzalez from those high school track days too, and an old teammate at St. Edward who could never keep up with that St. Ignatius kid.
?No matter how hard he tried, he could never beat Gonzalez in the 100 or the 200,? Smith said.
?The look on his face, he?d be grunting and Gonzalez would be right in the next lane as smooth as possible, and Gonzalez beat him every time they raced. And I couldn?t understand how. But now I see.?
Now, Smith and Gonzalez understand a lot about each other.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4479
