2004 Sports Illustrated Player of the Year, Alex Smith emerged as a Heisman finalist this season
as a junior, and has skyrocketed up draft boards.
In his first full season as a starter, junior quarterback Smith guided
Utah to an 11-0 record and the Fiesta Bowl, as the Utes became the first non-BCS school to earn a
BCS berth.
Smith has crazy good stats in his two seasons as starting quarterback for the Utes. He is 20-1 as
a starter, completed over 65% of his passes for 4,871 yards, 43 touchdowns and just 7 interceptions.
As a runner, he totaled 1,015 yards and 15 touchdowns.
When you see the numbers Smith put up, a lot of people assume it’s because of the system he was
in. In Smith’s case, it is a valid question. Urban Meyer put together a great program at Utah, and
he’s now headed to Florida.
"Alex Smith is the kind of player that keeps coaches in the profession," said
Meyer. "He is extremely intelligent, a great player and team leader and just an all-around good
person."
Smith’s biggest strengths are his intelligence and the efficiency he plays with. He sees the
field very well and makes smart decisions. He will rarely make a bad decision on the field. He is a
very accurate passer, displays a solid arm, but he is also extremely mobile. He can escape the
pressure, but he can also make plays with his feet when things break down. He is a leader, and a
hard worker. He earned his bachelor’s degree during his true sophomore season and has already
started on his masters degree.
