Troy Smith

Smith is coming off brilliant junior and senior seasons, leading the team to a pair of Big Ten Conference championships, as he improved to 25-3 as Ohio State's starting quarterback. His exploits on the field in 2006 were capped when he was named the Heisman Trophy winner. What makes his performance the past two years even more remarkable is the fact that Smith almost did not play for the Buckeyes in 2005. Living a roller coaster existence off the field, Smith was suspended for the 2004 Alamo Bowl and the 2005 season opener until he re-paid $500 that he took from an OSU booster. Smith played his first two years of football at Lakewood St. Edward High School, but transferred to Glenville High as a senior, where he was coached by Ginn, Sr., the father of Smith's prep and OSU teammate, receiver Ted Ginn, Jr. He threw for 969 yards and twelve touchdowns as a senior, leading Glenville to the state playoffs. He also gained 324 yards with four scores rushing that year. As a junior at St. Edward, he picked up 1,400 yards passing, adding 500 more yards on the ground. Smith lettered three times in basketball and ran track, competing in the high jump, long jump and 1,600-meter relay. He was rated the nation's 13th-ranked quarterback and timed at 4.1 in the 40-yard dash by Rivals.com. Smith enrolled at Ohio State in 2002, but sat out the season as a redshirt. He was a seldom-used running back for the Buckeyes, appearing in 10 games in 2003, running three times for 14 yards (4.7 avg) and returned five kickoffs for 83 yards (16.6 avg). Smith played in eight games in 2004, starting the final five regular season games at quarterback. He completed 68 of 122 passes (55.7 percent) for 896 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions. He scored twice on 82 carries, gaining 339 yards (4.1 avg), finishing with 1,235 yards in total offense before being suspended prior to the Alamo Bowl. After sitting out the 2005 season opener, Smith shared playing time with Justin Zwick early in the season. He played in 11 games, starting the final 10. Smith hit on 149 of 237 passes (62.9 percent) for 2,282 yards, 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions, but also fumbled 11 times, with the opposition recovering six of thems. He ranked second on the team with 136 rushing attempts for 611 yards (4.5 avg) and led the team with 11 touchdowns. He also became the first player in school history to throw for more than 2,000 yards and rush for more than 500 in a season. As a senior in 2006, in addition to capturing the Heisman Trophy and earning All-American first-team honors, Smith was the recipient of the Davey O'Brien Award and Walter Camp National Player of the Year Award. The Big Ten Conference Player of the Year connected on 203 of 311 passes (65.3 percent) for 2,542 yards, 30 touchdowns and six interceptions. He rushed 72 times for 204 yards (2.8 avg) and a score, finishing with 2,746 yards in total offense. He also ranked seventh in the nation with a pass efficiency rating of 161.91. Smith appeared in 42 games at Ohio State, including 32 contests at quarterback. He boasts a 25-3 record as the team's starting quarterback, completing 420 of 670 passes (62.7 percent) for 5,720 yards, 54 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He collected 1,168 yards with 14 scores on 293 carries (4.0 avg) and gained 83 yards on five kickoff returns (16.6 avg). He also recorded two solo tackles while amassing 6,888 yards in total offense on 963 plays.

positives

Shorter than ideal, but has good body structure with solid muscle definition, good upper body tone in his chest and arms, thick thighs and calves and above average body control, balance and flexibility...Alert playmaker who aligned mostly in shotgun formation, but showed good foot quickness on occasions driving back from center...The pulse of the offense and the unquestioned leader in the huddle, he shows good improvisation skills and the vision to quickly recognize coverages, as he is not the type who will force the ball just to make a play (only 13 interceptions on 670 pass attempts)...Precision-type passer who is more effective in the short-to-intermediate areas, but has the strength to air the ball out with touch and accuracy (completed 62.7 percent of his throws)...Has worked hard to regain the respect of the coaching staff and displayed excellent maturity the last two years after having off-field troubles in 2004...His feet and strong throwing arm make him a viable threat to score on the ground or throwing the ball...Has the foot quickness and agility to throw on the move, showing the body control and balance to break tackles or avoid the defender with his explosive second gear to accelerate into the second level...Has improved his smooth delivery, as he no longer drops his elbow, generating better touch on his deep throws...Has the arm power to fire tight ropes up field and can make all the throws, knowing when to take something off his tosses so the receivers can catch the ball in stride...Poised in the pocket and knows he has the valid foot speed to make things happen when carrying the ball...His ability to scramble allows him to stay alive rolling out of the pocket, as well as put the ball away and run with it when his targets are covered...Puts nice zip on his short tosses into tight areas and can also displays the touch needed to feather the ball over the defender on long throws...Does a good job of retaining plays and is quick to improvise on the run...His natural football instincts are displayed with his ability to create when his targets are covered...His low interception ratio indicates he is capable of scanning the field, stepping up in the pocket or throwing the ball away rather than try to force the ball into a crowd...His low interception ratio indicates that he is capable of scanning the field, stepping up in the pocket or throwing the ball away rather than try to force the ball into a crowd...Aggressive playmaker who will not hesitate to sacrifice his body to make the play...Sells out and plays with reckless abandon, similar to Steve McNair earlier in his career...Shows good accuracy with all of his throws and will make a lethargic defense pay for even one mistake...One of his best attributes is his ability to create on a broken play...Very effective throwing on the move and carries the ball chest-high...Steps to his target point with good balance in his drop and helps put good velocity behind his tosses by keeping his feet under him...Does a good job of laying the ball away from defenders and it is rare to see him try to force the ball into a crowd... Does not eye-ball his primary target for too long and is very good job of recognizing underneath coverage (not many of his passes are tipped at the line of scrimmage)...Has developed a high release, showing the ability to improvise on the move...Throws across his body effectively and has good timing and consistency moving the chains ... Takes what the defense gives him rather than going for the home run ball at every opportunity...Has nice touch throwing in the short-to-intermediate areas and threads the needle well...Has a knack for making proper adjustments at the line of scrimmage and the vision needed to scan the field...Makes proper adjustments at the line of scrimmage and has the vision needed to scan the field...Distributes the ball well, utilizing all of his receivers and is quick to look off his primary target and go through progressions...Effective at hitting his receivers in stride and over his target's outside shoulder...It is very hard for the defender to lock on to Smith due to his natural awareness...Poses a real threat for the opponent with his quick feet when flushed out...Can avoid the sack and buy a second chance, showing the ability to create out of a complete breakdown in protection...Has good body control rolling out of the pocket and does a nice job of avoiding on the move...Best when attacking from the far hash, as he is a threat with both his feet and arm...Has very good accuracy throwing the intermediate pass when on the run.

compares to

JEFF GARCIA-Tampa Bay...While Smith has good short-to-intermediate accuracy and can throw the long ball well, he lacks ideal height to scan the field over towering defensive linemen at the next level. He could develop into a Drew Brees type, but hasn't displayed Brees' foot speed. Smith will have to be in a West Coast or spread offense to get the best out of his ability, but like other college-type scramblers who lack ideal height, his best football might have been left behind in Columbus, Ohio, much like recent "pro ready" OSU quarterbacks Bobby Hoying and Joe Germaine.

negatives

Lacks the ideal height you look for in a pocket quarterback...Better suited for a spread offense...Will sometimes revert to a wind-up delivery, but still has the ability to get the ball off quickly...Best in the short-to-intermediate area, as some of his deep throws will sail even though he has the arm strength needed to fire up field...Seems to be more accurate throwing on the run than in his drops from center...Had character problems in high school and earlier in his Ohio State career, but has matured and joined the program his last two seasons (no further off-field issues and embraced his leadership role)...Is more quick than fast and while he can buy time in the backfield with his scrambling ability, he doesn't have the burst or second gear to be a big running threat past the line of scrimmage...Has shown good maturity off the field, but is still sensitive to issues about his height and timed speed...Needs to tighten his throwing mechanics, as he will get sloppy with his delivery at times...Lack of height is sometimes an issue when he can't locate the receiver to make progression reads, being late getting the ball out...Needs to set his feet better, as he tends to throw off his wrong foot at times, especially when on the move...Tough to judge his pass set-up quickness, as he appeared more effective in the shotgun than when lining up under center.

No injuries reported.

Campus: 4.64 in the 40-yard dash

340-pound bench press

420-pound squat

36-inch vertical jump

10'2" broad jump

30 7/8-inch arm length

9 1/4-inch hands. Combine: Chose not to participate in the positional or agility drills.

Attended Glenville (Cleveland, Oh.) High School, playing football for head coach Ted Ginn, Sr. (father of Smith Glenville and Ohio State teammate, receiver Ted Ginn, Jr.)

Threw for 969 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior, leading Glenville to the state playoffs

Also gained 324 yards with four touchdowns rushing that year

Played his first two years of football at Lakewood St. Edward High School before transferring to Glenville High

As a junior at St. Edward, he picked up 1,400 yards passing, adding 500 more yards on the ground

Also lettered three times in basketball and ran track, competing in the high jump, long jump and 1,600-meter relay

Rated the nation's 13th-ranked quarterback and timed at 4.1 in the 40-yard dash by Rivals.com.

Communications major

Son of Tracy Smith and Kenneth Delaney

Older brother, Rod, played guard at Ohio State in the early 1990s, and another brother, Andre, played at Bowling Green

A third sibling, Irvin White, played at Walsh College

Born 7/20/84

Resides in Cleveland, Ohio.