I was at practice yesterday and Smith was running with the twos. I know some people on this board would disagree but he was throwing some nice passes. He has definitely improved from last year and I will be curious to see what impact having Gus Ragland as his coach will have.
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It’s a big gamble IMO, given the portal environment. If he’s not really the heir apparent to Brett, it a big gamble with the recruited QB we have in the room. The guys not getting any reps understand they’re not getting the experience they need to make them better. I just think Aveon would be a far bigger star as a slot receiver or RB. He could amplify our offensive power rather than be buried as the back-up QB. It would be scary for MAC defenses to see 5 and 2 on the field at the same time.
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Someone said it isn’t easy to make the switch from QB to RB. If Dom Robinson can go from QB in HS to WR to DE, I think a switch from QB for Aveion (where his biggest asset was most definitely his legs) to RB is eminently doable.
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We can assume that the other pro-style QBs in the room have accepted Brett coming back and starting. But if Smith has another year or even two of eligibility left, and it appears he is the heir apparent to Brett, I think both Humphreys and Hesson will probably leave. If they want to play. If they’re happy being on the team and competing for the position, great. And Humphreys still has freshman eligibility this coming season.
But I’m grabbing at the wind. I have no inside info. Just that the environment the portal has created has immediate impact on a team. And if we lose one or both, we better recruit a QB this year. But first, decide what the hell kind of offense you are building. I’m sure what they’ve decided to build the last several years at least–a pro-style. If not that offense, then why sign pro-style QBs?
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Sherman Smith switched from college QB to NFL RB. Julian Edelman switched from college QB to NFL possession receiver. Both had fine pro careers.
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Sherman Smith moving from QB to RB was almost 50 years ago. The transition from QB to WR is a little more transferable, which is why you occassionally see it. Edelman, Hines Ward, Josh Cribbs…I’m sure I’m missing others. The list isnt long. Aveon is a good running/scrambling QB, I just don’t think that skill set is the same as being a capable RB or serviceable WR.
Oh well, I’m probably spending more time thinking about the position of the backup QB than I should. Go RedHawks.
If Aveon is truly better in practice than the QB’s behind him they can’t be very good.
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Sherm threw for about 700 yards his senior year and rushed for about 1,000 yards. Rob Carpenter also rushed for more than 1,000 yards. Randy Walker rushed for about 600 yards.
Here’s a treat: Watch Sherman Smith in action vs. Michigan State. This was his ONLY loss in the years that he started. He played sparingly his freshman year. It’s an old video (obviously) and you can see how big he was. Click on the link below and watch it with your liver next to you.
https://onthebanks.msu.edu/Object/162-565-6869/msu-football-vs-miami-oh-1975/
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Thanks Eddie! Norm Trowbridge. Grrrrr.
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1975 was the year before I enrolled. I’m not certain but I think Freddie Johnson may have been a freshman or sophomore on that team.
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We missed two FG and a PAT and lost 14-13. Something similar happened to us at West Virginia.
We did get a tie at WVU. I was at the game and enjoyed Mike Vanderjagt missing a game-winning fg attempt at the gun or near the end of the game.
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We actually missed 4 FG’s and an extra point. #21 for us is Rob Carpenter, who had a couple of 1,000 yard seasons in the NFL ( 12 game schedule). #41 is Randy Walker. For Michigan, the black QB who came in and accounted for the two TD’s is Charlie Baggett and #23 who caught the long TD pass For the Spartans is Kirk Gibson. Yes, that Kirk Gibson.
All that is from memory, maybe I am wrong about one of those things, but that is the way I remember it. Notice that there was no difference in the size or physicality between the two things, in fact we looked to be hitting harder than they were. Thanks for posting that Eddie.
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I saw a friend from high school there before kickoff and he was raving about Fred Johnson’s leg during warmups. Guess he saw more than the coaches did. He never did show a lot of consistency though.
Kirk Gibson caught the winning catch right in front of us and he took it to the house. A real sinking feeling.
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Bonus points for the name of the Miami db who got turned around and slipped in front of Gibson. I forget.
Physically, we were as strong and talented as several Big 10 teams during those three or four years. Remembered that Rob was 21 and Randy was 41 but Id forgotten that Sherman was a lefty.
Excellent assessment. They don’t translate exactly. Which is why I suggest a slot position. He is incredible is open space
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What year was that? I was there, too.
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‘75
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