Tropical Thunder
Greg Abel, Chad Hogan--Student Sports Media
Issue date: 12/8/09 Section: Sports
Football is just a sport to some people but to Scott Smith it's more than that, it's a way of life. Smith is a defensive end for the Butler Grizzlies. The Grizzlies went 8-3 and did not make a bowl game for the first time in 13 years. Smith was the standout player for the Grizzlies.
Smith, 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighing 260 pounds, is a sophomore from Kailua, Hawaii. Smith's parents are George and Benda Smith and Smith. He attended St. Louis High School where he played football and basketball. As a senior, Smith was selected to be on the All- Far West team by SuperPrep Magazine. He also was ranked the seventh best player coming out of Hawaii, and selected to first team all-state by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. He was awarded league Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. He was also named all-conference honoree. Smith's high school went 11-1 and was undefeated in league play in 2006 with the only loss coming in the state championship game. ESPN watched Smith frequently and described him as "a player who takes great angles to the ball and does a nice job of wrapping the ball carrier up when he gets there. He is a tall, developing prospect with great potential. He has the ability to cover some ground on defense and has long arms to grab ball carriers and pull them down." Smith was highly recruited coming out of high school.
Smith has been recruited by many of Division I colleges. Coming out of high school, Smith signed with the University of California Bears and was red-shirted. Smith decided to transfer to the University of Arizona. When asked about leaving California, Smith had this to say.
"Cal wasn't the place for me," he said. "It wasn't necessarily the school but the environment. It was to much like the '70s for me with people protesting and things like that. I just didn't like it very much."
So Smith transferred to be a Wildcat. Smith was supposed to compete for potential key role as a Wildcat after having to sit out for the transfer year. He wasn't allowed to play spring ball in 2009 after a jaw injury. Smith thought Arizona was a better place for him but he found out that it wasn't. Smith recorded one tackle on the season and that game was against UCLA. He got into some trouble in Arizona and he had to transfer to Butler where he has shined.
Smith, 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighing 260 pounds, is a sophomore from Kailua, Hawaii. Smith's parents are George and Benda Smith and Smith. He attended St. Louis High School where he played football and basketball. As a senior, Smith was selected to be on the All- Far West team by SuperPrep Magazine. He also was ranked the seventh best player coming out of Hawaii, and selected to first team all-state by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. He was awarded league Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. He was also named all-conference honoree. Smith's high school went 11-1 and was undefeated in league play in 2006 with the only loss coming in the state championship game. ESPN watched Smith frequently and described him as "a player who takes great angles to the ball and does a nice job of wrapping the ball carrier up when he gets there. He is a tall, developing prospect with great potential. He has the ability to cover some ground on defense and has long arms to grab ball carriers and pull them down." Smith was highly recruited coming out of high school.
Smith has been recruited by many of Division I colleges. Coming out of high school, Smith signed with the University of California Bears and was red-shirted. Smith decided to transfer to the University of Arizona. When asked about leaving California, Smith had this to say.
"Cal wasn't the place for me," he said. "It wasn't necessarily the school but the environment. It was to much like the '70s for me with people protesting and things like that. I just didn't like it very much."
So Smith transferred to be a Wildcat. Smith was supposed to compete for potential key role as a Wildcat after having to sit out for the transfer year. He wasn't allowed to play spring ball in 2009 after a jaw injury. Smith thought Arizona was a better place for him but he found out that it wasn't. Smith recorded one tackle on the season and that game was against UCLA. He got into some trouble in Arizona and he had to transfer to Butler where he has shined.
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