Latecomer Smith learning ropes at CU

Talented Californian has come far in only four years of football

By Paul Willis, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 26, 2008 at 4:42 p.m.

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Photo by Darin McGregor / The Rocky

Josh Smith enters Friday's game against Nebraska fifth in CU history with 1,742 all-purpose yards.

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Josh Smith prides himself on his versatility, so perhaps it's fitting he can be considered the fastest, most raw and most enigmatic member of the University of Colorado football team.

The sophomore receiver/kick returner/ punt returner/sometimes ballcarrier is an undisputed top-flight athlete, often mentioned as the Buffaloes' best. But never is he mentioned as their best football player, and that's because his football life is in its fledgling stages.

Smith, steadily climbing the ladder on CU's single-season all-purpose yards list, did not begin playing football until his junior year at Moorpark (Calif.) High School.

That means this is only his fourth season around the game, and he has endured the predictable peaks and valleys.

At his best, he has beaten teams in four ways. At his worst, he has committed puzzling turnovers and sounded off to the media after the game. But give Smith this - he's not shy about what he wants to accomplish in black and gold.

"It's just tough trying to be one of the best football players who ever came here because there have been a lot of great guys here," he said.

He enters Friday's game at Nebraska with 1,742 all-purpose yards, fifth best in CU history and only 228 yards from second-place Byron "Whizzer" White's output in 1937.

"I try not to pay too much attention to it, but it's hard to ignore," Smith said. "It's great to have a true sophomore year and still have the opportunity to be one of three people to ever reach 1,900 yards here."

The Buffaloes are trying to coil all of Smith's spellbinding athleticism into a tight, refined package, but with his being so new to the game, it's not an overnight - or over-season - process.

"There are some improvements, but he's still very, very young and still very raw," CU receivers coach Eric Kiesau said. "He does have a lot of potential, and I talked to him this year about potential being a great thing to have. But if something doesn't happen within you and you want to realize that potential, it's all going to be talk and things you say in the paper."

To his credit, Smith admits he's still in transition toward becoming a polished player.

"I've made some baby steps toward reaching that level," he said. "There's still a lot that I have to get in my head. Most of it is really in the head, and that's where I feel some guys have the edge on me because they've been doing it since they were a child, over and over. I still have a lot to learn, and I feel that's a good thing because I still have a big upside."

Perhaps further delaying his goal of becoming a dominant receiver is CU spreads him pretty thin in an effort to get the ball in his hands in as many ways as possible.

"The tough thing for him is we're asking him to do more," CU coach Dan Hawkins said. "If you look at any level, you don't see guys who are the punt returner, the kick returner, the primary receiver or even the ballcarrier. . . . That's a heavy load to carry, particularly when you're a young guy like that."

Don't count on the Buffaloes reducing that load, though, because the plan is to keep Smith in his quadruple-threat role as long as he's around.

"I haven't seen him overwhelmed yet," special teams coach Kent Riddle said. "I don't know if one area is overloading the other."

Kiesau, the receivers coach, said aspects like the intangible "feel for the game" will come naturally for Smith.

But it's up to the player to learn the nuances of the sport.

"He's always been the fastest guy, and if you get him in seven-on-seven with an off-corner he can blow by someone," Kiesau said. "But it's little things like getting out of breaks, route running, blocking, and just putting the big picture together."

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