Background: Product of the same Cleveland high school (Glenville) that produced Buckeyes superstar Ted Ginn Jr., Smith was the last signee for Ohio State in 2002. He redshirted with fellow quarterback recruit Justin Zwick, who beat him out for the starting job last year but struggled. After Zwick got hurt in Game 6, Smith went 4-1 as a starter.
Stat line: Smith made his debut Saturday against Texas and hit 5-of-11 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. After two games, Zwick has completed 26-of-38 passes for 221 yards with one interception and one touchdown.
What’s up: Smith sparked Ohio State’s late surge a year ago but threw away a likely starting job this season when he took $500 from a booster, earning a suspension for the first game.
What’s next: Smith will start Saturday against San Diego State after a Texas loss that puts the once-fourth-ranked Buckeyes on the outside looking in at the national title picture. “We are not inferring at all that the quarterback was the reason we didn’t win the football game,” Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel said on the Big Ten conference call Tuesday. “Our thought process was from a rep standpoint of giving enough reps to be more consistent in our performance at quarterback. Troy was the guy we think we need to do that with, and we think he’ll do an excellent job.”
Henderson’s take: Tressel is wrong. Poor quarterback play is the reason Ohio State lost the game. While Zwick may have deserved to start, Smith didn’t deserve to be pulled. He led Ohio State to five consecutive scoring drives for a 19-13 lead, throwing a TD pass in the process. Zwick played the fourth quarter, and his fumble killed Ohio State’s chances in the final minutes. With 25 seconds left, Tressel threw Smith back in at the Buckeye 1 and he was promptly sacked for a safety. Ohio State’s defense, except for Texas’ final drive, played at national-caliber form. The Buckeyes’ offense, however, is disjointed and inconsistent. The schedule is favorable and Ohio State could win out, but it won’t do it with a two-QB system that starts and stops like an SUV with a faulty clutch.
