Spring Break
The Daily OrangeFB | Hard-hitting Smith stars for defense
By Mike Janela
Posted: 10/21/05, 1:37 AM EST Section: Sports
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Anthony Smith could've spent his college career as an Ohio State Buckeye, roaming the secondary in his home state with stickers on his helmet and a hometown just three hours away.
OSU head coach Jim Tressel offered Smith a football scholarship after his junior year of high school in Hubbard, Ohio, in an attempt to lock down an in-state talent.
If it hadn't been for Smith's dad, Homer, Syracuse's starting free safety would have most likely spent the last four seasons in Columbus, Ohio, instead of Central New York.
"I didn't allow him to commit to OSU before his senior year," Homer Smith, Anthony's biological great uncle and adoptive father, said. "He'd have to commit before his senior year, but I knew there were better schools than OSU. So, they withdrew his scholarship offer and that was a-OK with me and it became OK with Anthony."
The decision has been OK with the Orange, too, which has enjoyed Smith as a defensive flare on a team that has otherwise played rather dimly in his time at SU. The Orange visits Heinz Field to play Pittsburgh on Saturday at noon.
Since starting his 2002 freshman season on special teams, Smith now sits third all time in tackles by a defensive back in Orange history. He also ties for first in most blocked kicks in a game, season and career.
But maybe most importantly, he's offered stability in the secondary for three seasons while question marks popped up at positions all around him.
"Back then he was a little skinny kid," cornerback and classmate Steve Gregory said. "He obviously bulked up. Since the day he got here, though, he's always presented himself as a playmaker."
Though the term has grown cliché, playmaker sums up what Smith offers in the defensive backfield.
Known for his hard hitting, the consensus says Smith lays the most vicious tackles of all the Orange. He rated his brutal first-quarter sack of Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel on Saturday as a 10.5 on a scale of one to 10.
When Smith's time at Syracuse ends, those who remember him will laud his hitting ability as well as his tremendous ballhawk talents - evidenced by five career blocked kicks and 12 career interceptions, two of which came Saturday against Rutgers.
"I've been playing a long time," Smith said. "Just being able to perform in front of fans and just make exciting plays and get the 'oohs' and 'ahhs;' it's the excitement of the game I like."
Smith began playing football a few weeks shy of his sixth birthday, despite local league rules that players be at least 6 years old before playing. A special exemption was made for Smith since he would turn 6 during the season.
