OWINGS MILLS — Although he’ll be surrounded by towering defenders intent on splattering him into the ground while a boisterous crowd issues cruel taunts, Troy Smith doesn’t think he’ll intimidated by this unfamiliar environment.
Due to injuries to Steve McNair and Kyle Boller, the Baltimore Ravens’ ultra-confident rookie quarterback will make his first NFL start today against the NFC West champion Seattle Seahawks after entering this season as the third-stringer who carried the clipboard on the sideline.
Will this mark the emergence of a promising career for a fifth-round draft pick who built a reputation at Ohio State for overcoming a lack of stature with uncommon mobility and crisp spirals to claim the Heisman Trophy?
Or will the 23-year-old become the latest disappointment under center for the Ravens (4-10) as they careen toward a merciful end to a disastrous season while mired in a franchise-record eight-game losing streak?
"It’s a situation where your confidence has to be there the whole way," Smith said. "Confidence with me has never been a problem, because I don’t have anything to prove to anybody, just the guys in this locker room and me getting better as a quarterback. I can handle pretty much everything."
This marks Smith’s first start since a meltdown in the 2006 national championship game against the Florida Gators. It was a rough ending to a decorated collegiate career where the Cleveland native earned consensus All-American honors while winning the Davey O’Brien and Walter Camp awards, being named the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year and threw a school-record 30 touchdowns as a senior.
This isn’t the Big House at Michigan, though.
This is Qwest Field, home of the Seahawks (9-5), where they’re 41-14 since 2001 for the second-best mark in the league during that span.
Although Smith lacks ideal size at 6-foot and 225 pounds, he tends to be a scrambler with a penchant for throwing adeptly on the run. So far, his intangibles have drawn as much praise as his performances.
“The difference now would definitely be the level of play, it’s something totally different," Smith said. "Stepping into this situation and getting a chance to play at the highest level, you have to have the highest level of professionalism, the highest level of being a man, being an athlete.
"Not to take anything away from college football, because college football is incredible and great. These guys here in this locker room have families, they have kids, they have wives. That was the most eye-opening thing for me.â€
Apparently, Smith has already opened some eyes in the Ravens’ locker room.
"Troy is a football player, and that’s all I really care about," wide receiver Derrick Mason said. "He goes out there, make plays regardless of how big you are, what type of quarterback they say you are or are not. That’s why he was considered the best football player in college football. That’s why he won the Heisman and it’s no different here."
"Troy is a football player, and that’s all I really care about," wide receiver Derrick Mason said. "He goes out there, make plays regardless of how big you are, what type of quarterback they say you are or are not. That’s why he was considered the best football player in college football. That’s why he won the Heisman and it’s no different here."
Smith has only played in four NFL series, but has raised hopes by scrambling for a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts and engineering a game-tying drive one week ago in an embarrassing overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins.
He has completed just 8 of 16 passes for 82 yards for no interceptions and has yet to throw a touchdown, but that hasn’t given pause to the growing confidence of his teammates.
"You can tell he’s been in big games before," offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden said. "Given at the collegiate level, but he’s got a lot of confidence and he comes in there and takes command and tries to make some plays. Hopefully, he’ll do well. He’s got the right mentality for it and he’s confident, so I’ve got a lot of confidence."
This is a different level, though, as previously noted.
This is a different level, though, as previously noted.
And the Seahawks sport a formidable defense with 42 sacks to rank second in the NFL, are tied for second with 20 interceptions and have allowed the fewest passing touchdowns in the league with 10 surrendered. Seattle features Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Trufant, defensive end Patrick Kerney, a big-ticket free agent acquisition who leads the NFL with 13 1/2 sacks, and swift outside linebacker Julian Peterson.
The Seahawks will be wary of underestimating Smith after undrafted Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Matt Moore pulled off an upset last week.
"I think on the outset you say, ‘Yeah, we’re going to heat it up for the young guy,’ but that’s not necessarily true," Seahawks defensive coordinator John Marshall told Seattle reporters. "The guy can run. The guy’s a fine athlete. And he played very well in the Miami game. He’s got poise. They tried to pressure him in Miami and they got the ball out of there."
"I think on the outset you say, ‘Yeah, we’re going to heat it up for the young guy,’ but that’s not necessarily true," Seahawks defensive coordinator John Marshall told Seattle reporters. "The guy can run. The guy’s a fine athlete. And he played very well in the Miami game. He’s got poise. They tried to pressure him in Miami and they got the ball out of there."
However, Smith doesn’t think he will be rattled. He’s banking on his poise outweighing his inexperience.
“I’ll definitely be comfortable, hopefully, but you never know," Smith said. "I can’t see into the future, I can’t let you know how I’ll feel on Sunday because I won’t know until Sunday comes. But I’m definitely trying to prepare and begin to get ready for the Seahawks in an even-keel manner.â€
Yet, this will be an extremely loud atmosphere for Smith to endure.
Things could go awry, but the Ravens are unconcerned about Smith being overwhelmed by the situation even though he unraveled in his last collegiate start with a 4 for 14 showing with 35 yards and an interception that caused his draft stock to plummet.
"One thing I don’t worry about is he is a very strong personality,†Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "You worry about what happens if things get ugly with him in pressures and all sorts of things, but he will fight through whatever happens. So that’s the biggest thing you worry about, but he’s a very strong-willed young man.â€
Aaron Wilson covers the Baltimore Ravens for the Carroll County Times and the Annapolis Capital.
Photo by Sabina Moran
