After an impressive performance against Baylor, Geno Smith is the talk of college football. Smith is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy and the Mountaineers are ranked in the top 10 and a serious contender for the Big 12 Title. But let's take a closer look at what makes Geno Smith so talented and if this is merely a flash in the pan or does the senior QB have some staying power.
Past
Geno Smith came to West Virginia very highly touted and was even the #2 ranked QB out of high school. Smith was a dual threat QB who was going take West Virginia back to the level that (another dual threat QB) Pat White once had them. Smith took over as a sophomore and was just average. Throwing for 2,763 yards completing 65% of his passes. He did throw for 24 TDs. As a rusher he didn't put up numbers, only going for 217 yards. Not what you would expect out of a spread option attack.
Before the start of his junior year Dana Holgerson was brought on board, as OC at first and then moved up to HC). Everybody knew that Smith was a good athlete and had a ton of potential. But was Holgerson going to be able to mold him into the type of QB he wanted?
In his first year in Holgerson's air it out offense saw immediate results. His passing yards nearly doubled and he threw 7 more TDs with the same amount of INTs. However the offense was far from unstoppable. Add in losses to Louisville and Syracuse and there were some questions if he'd really take off. But Smith really didn't click in this offense till the Orange Bowl against Clemson where he threw for 407 yards and 6 TDs in the route of Clemson. Was this the QB we thought we'd get?
Present
Smith picked right up where he left off in that Orange Bowl. He has thrown for over 300 yards in every game this season and even through for over 600 yards this past weekend against Baylor. He's thrown 20 TDs already and O INTs. Yes 0 picks in 169 attempts. That's astronomical. Geno loves the film room and it really shows. He has a mastery of the offense and it is evident the efficiency it runs at. Smith has the luxury of having two very talented WRs that make his job even easier. Both Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey not only are excellent at getting open, but they are just as deadly with the ball in their hands. But what has been so impressive so far this season has been Smith's accuracy. Through four games this season, Smith has completed 83% of his passes. Now it's not like he is throwing a bunch of screen passes and slants. Smith is throwing the ball down field and making a bunch of tough passes.
Because of Geno Smith's play, the Mountaineers are one of the favorites to win the Big 12 (in their first year in the conference and Smith is the clear cut favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. West Virginia doesn't have an elite defense that most National Title Contenders need, but if Smith and this offense keeps playing at this level they might be able to out score everybody.
Future
The future is bright for Geno Smith. He could easily leave West Virginia with another BCS Bowl win, a Heisman Trophy, and maybe even a Big 12 Title ring. But even without out any of those, NFL teams who need a franchise QB will fall in love with Smith.
Smith has about everything you want out of a possible NFL QB. He has the height teams like (6'2). He is on the light side weight wise (214), but should easily be able to add another 15-20 pounds without losing a step. Smith has good mobility that will allow him to move around in the pocket and escape trouble. Smith can make all the NFL throws with ease which will allow him to fit into any offensive scheme. But what teams will fall in love with the most is that Geno Smith is a student of the game. Smith loves to break down film and will have no trouble picking up an NFL playbook. If a team needs to start him day 1, he should be able to handle it.
Smith right now is the #2 QB in this draft class, with only Matt Barkley ahead of him. But don't be surprised if Smith moves past Barkley and ends up being the 1st QB taken in the 2013 NFL Draft. Smith isn't a system QB, or just somebody that puts up a ton of stats. He has real deal NFL skills, and scouts know that.
Summary
Geno Smith is the talk of college football so far this season, and he deserves every bit of it. He has been the best player so far and it isn't even closer. He's getting a lot of comparisons to RG3 because he's been so good so fast. But the comparison doesn't stop there. What made RG3 separate himself was his arm strength and accuracy. Smith has those same skills. His 83% completion percentage with all the throws he makes down field is remarkable. If Smith can keep this pace up, he could share a few more things with Griffin. A Heisman Trophy and a top two selection in the NFL Draft.
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