Troy Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Troy Smith

Smith with the Baltimore Ravens in 2009
No. 10, 1
Position:	Quarterback
Personal information
Born:	(1984-07-20) July 20, 1984 (age 40) Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school:	Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio)
College:	Ohio State (2002–2006)
NFL Draft:	2007 / Round: 5 / Pick: 174
Career history
Baltimore Ravens (2007) San Francisco 49ers (2010) Omaha Nighthawks (2011) Pittsburgh Steelers (2012)* Montreal Alouettes (2013–2014)
Career highlights and awards
Heisman Trophy (2006) Davey O'Brien Award (2006) Chic Harley Award (2006) Walter Camp Award (2006) Archie Griffin Award (2006) AP College Football Player of the Year (2006) SN Player of the Year (2006) Quarterback of the Year (2006) Unanimous All-American (2006) Big Ten Most Valuable Player (2006) Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year (2006) First-team All-Big Ten (2006)
Career NFL statistics
Passing attempts: 234 Passing completions: 121 Completion percentage: 51.7% TD–INT: 8–5 Passing yards: 1,734 Passer rating: 78.5 Rushing yards: 220 Rushing touchdowns: 3
Career CFL statistics
Passing attempts: 288 Passing completions: 143 Completion percentage: 49.7% TD–INT: 13–9 Passing yards: 1,873
Player stats at PFR
Player stats at CFL.ca (archive)

Troy James Smith, born on July 20, 1984, is a former American football quarterback. He played in the National Football League (NFL). He also played in the United Football League (UFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). Troy Smith played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes. In 2006, he won the famous Heisman Trophy and was named an All-American. The Baltimore Ravens picked him in the 2007 NFL draft.

Early Life and High School Football

Troy Smith grew up in Columbus, Ohio, with his mother and two siblings. Later, his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio. In Cleveland, Troy first became interested in football. He played for a team called the Glenville A's. He started as a running back and tight end. His coach, Irvin White, soon moved him to the quarterback position. Troy stayed there for the rest of his career.

Troy went to St. Edward High School for his first two years. He then transferred to Glenville High School in Cleveland. At Glenville, his coach was Ted Ginn Sr.. Troy played alongside his teammate, Ted Ginn Jr., whose father was the coach. Both Troy and Ted Jr. later played together at Ohio State.

After his junior year, Troy was invited to the Elite 11 competition. This event features the top high school quarterbacks in the U.S. His performance there impressed many. Even though it was late in the recruiting process, Ohio State University offered him a scholarship. He decided to play for the Buckeyes.

In his senior year, Troy threw for 969 yards and 12 touchdowns. He led Glenville to the state playoffs. Troy also played basketball and ran track in high school. He accepted the last scholarship for Ohio State's 2002 football team.

College Football Career

Troy Smith received a scholarship to play for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team. He played under coach Jim Tressel from 2003 to 2006. In 2002, he was a "redshirt" player, meaning he practiced but did not play in games. That year, the Buckeyes won the National Championship.

As a freshman in 2003, Troy played a little as a running back and kick returner. In 2004, he started as a backup quarterback. But he became the main starter when Justin Zwick got injured. Troy won four out of five games he started that year. This included a big win against their rival, the Michigan Wolverines.

In 2005, with Troy as quarterback, Ohio State lost only two regular season games. One loss was to the Texas Longhorns. The other was to the Penn State Nittany Lions. Troy passed for 2,282 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also ran for 611 yards and 11 touchdowns. In January 2006, he was named the Offensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl. He led the Buckeyes to a 34-20 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

In 2006, Troy and the Buckeyes got revenge against Texas. They won 24-7. Troy threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns. His great performance made people think he could win the Heisman Trophy. He completed 67% of his passes for 2,507 yards. He also threw 30 touchdowns and only five interceptions.

Troy was one of five finalists for the 2006 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. This award goes to the best senior college quarterback. His teammates voted him the 2006 Most Valuable Player. He also won the Davey O'Brien Award for best college quarterback. He was named an All-American.

Troy had an amazing record against Michigan. He won all three games he started against them. He was the first Ohio State quarterback since 1936 to win three straight games against Michigan as a starter.

Troy's college career ended on January 8, 2007. The Ohio State Buckeyes lost to the Florida Gators in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game. Troy completed only four passes for 35 yards in that game. He graduated with a degree in communication. In 2010, ESPN named Troy Smith the "Big Ten player of the decade."

Winning the Heisman Trophy

Troy Smith won the 2006 Heisman Trophy on December 9, 2006. This award goes to the most outstanding player in college football. He received 91.6% of the first-place votes. This was a record for 13 years. His total of 2,540 votes was the third-highest ever at that time.

Troy Smith joined other famous Ohio State players who won the Heisman Trophy. These include Les Horvath (1944), Vic Janowicz (1950), Howard "Hopalong" Cassady (1955), Archie Griffin (1974 and 1975), and Eddie George (1995).

College Statistics

Here are Troy Smith's college football statistics:

College Awards and Honors

• 2006 Heisman Trophy
• 2006 Consensus All American
• 2006 Sporting News College Football Player of the Year
• 2006 Fiesta Bowl MVP
• 2006 Walter Camp Award
• 2006 Davey O'Brien Award
• 2006 Buckeyes MVP
• 2006 Associated Press Player of the Year
• 2006 Chicago Tribune Silver Football – Big Ten Most Valuable Player
• 2006 Senior Bowl
• 2002 National Championship
• His jersey number (10) was retired by Ohio State in 2014.

Professional Football Career

Smith during 2008 training camp

After college, Troy Smith entered the 2007 NFL draft. Even though he won the Heisman Trophy, some teams were worried about his height. Many thought he was a bit too short for an NFL quarterback. He hoped his hometown team, the Cleveland Browns, would pick him. But the Browns chose another quarterback instead.

The Baltimore Ravens drafted Troy Smith in the fifth round. He signed a three-year contract with them in July 2007. He started as the third-string quarterback. Later, he became the second-string quarterback.

Troy got his first NFL playing time on December 9, 2007. He scored his first NFL touchdown by running six yards. Many Ravens fans wanted him to be the starting quarterback. On December 20, 2007, Troy made his first professional start against the Seattle Seahawks. In Week 17, the Ravens beat the Steelers with Troy starting again. This win ended a nine-game losing streak for the Ravens.

Troy finished his first NFL season with 506 total yards and three touchdowns. He passed for 452 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 54 yards and one touchdown.

In 2008, Troy became ill with a rare disease called Lemierre's syndrome. Because of this, rookie Joe Flacco became the Ravens' starting quarterback. Troy played in only six games that season. He was sometimes used for short runs or even as a wide receiver. For the 2009 season, Flacco remained the starter. Troy played in only four games. He signed a new one-year contract with the Ravens in 2010. However, the Ravens later released him.

San Francisco 49ers

Smith with the 49ers.

On September 6, 2010, Troy Smith signed with the San Francisco 49ers. This reunited him with his former high school and college teammate, Ted Ginn Jr..

On October 27, Troy was named the starting quarterback for the 49ers' game against the Denver Broncos. He was the first black quarterback to start for San Francisco. In that game, Troy ran for one touchdown and threw another. The 49ers won 24–16. Troy was named the Sports Illustrated NFL Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.

Troy started the next game against the Rams. He led the 49ers to an overtime victory. He threw for 356 yards and one touchdown. He also ran for 12 yards without throwing any interceptions.

Troy's two straight wins as a starter earned him the starting job for three more weeks. He helped the 49ers win three out of five games he started. Even with his success, the 49ers did not re-sign Troy after the season.

Other Teams

Troy Smith later played for the Omaha Nighthawks in the United Football League in 2011. He started one game for them.

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Troy on January 20, 2012. But they released him in June 2012.

On August 14, 2013, Troy signed a two-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He got his first win with the Alouettes in his first start on October 20, 2013. He started the last three regular season games, winning two of them. He finished his first CFL year with 884 passing yards and nine touchdowns. He was named the starter for the playoffs, but the Alouettes lost.

Troy signed a new three-year contract with the Alouettes after the 2013 season. He started the first six games of the 2014 season, but the team only won once. Because of his play and the team's struggles, the Alouettes released him on October 16, 2014.

Professional Career Statistics

Here are Troy Smith's professional football statistics:

NFL Awards

• Sports Illustrated NFL Offensive Player of the Week (Week 8, 2010)

Personal Life

Troy Smith is a father of two children. He has supported the FIT Kids Act. This act would ask schools to share information about students' physical activity. It would also give health and nutrition information to children.

See also

• Racial issues faced by black quarterbacks