Back in September, Troy Smith was inducted into Ohio State's Athletics Hall of Fame. Fast-forward two months and the 2006 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback will be honored again by the school he represented when his No. 10 will be enshrined at Ohio Stadium on Saturday during the Michigan game.
It seems like the perfect opportunity to honor Smith, who went 3-0 as the starting quarterback against the Wolverines in his career.
On Monday, Smith addressed the media and talked about what it means for him to return to Ohio State and to have his jersey number put up in Ohio Stadium alongside former Buckeye greats like Eddie George and Archie Griffin, among others.
"It’s tremendous being here and I say it jokingly, but it is like Cheers," Smith said. "It’s cool to come back and be where everybody knows your name. I love this place with all my heart.”
Notes:
- Smith was asked what motivational tactics were used during the week of the Michigan game when he played. "The Bruce," he said. "Earle Bruce. He was our only motivation that Thursday when he came for his talks so to speak."
- What will Smith's emotions be like when his number is officially uncovered? "My emotions first and foremost will be to have (my kids) in check so everybody will know that Troy Smith’s kids have a little bit of manners. I’ll be swirling with emotion because everybody who had a chance to help me, to push me to embark on this type of illustrious career that I had here, they’ll be there. It’s about me getting a chance to relish in the moment with them. Without them I wouldn’t’ be there.”
- Smith said former coach Jim Tressel "taught him everything about life." He also added: "He taught me what it meant to be a man. He taught me what it meant to understand the decisions that you make, they shape you, they shape everybody around you and treat people the way you want to be treated."
- Asked what was his favorite victory over Michigan, Smith mentioned the 25-21 win in Ann Arbor in 2005. "Any time you have the ability to take a tremendous gasp of air out of 100,000 people somewhere else, you really put them in a situation here they have to be loyal to their soil. I think it means a lot," Smith said. "So doing that at their stadium (in 2005) in a situation where we weren’t supposed to win, backs against the wall. Everybody leaned on each other and that’s the beautiful thing about football, 11 guys have to be on the same page at the same time and if anything.”
- A handful of Ohio State players will get to experience Senior Day against Michigan, like Smith did in 2006. What is that like? “Very emotional," he said. "For everyone that doesn’t know Jim Tressel is like my dad. Knowing that would be the last time on the field with my dad, it was tough. You really don’t understand what you mean to a family, what you mean to a person, to people that you meant as a man until you become a father. That situation with him, now that I am a father I can totally understand why him weeping at the time, lead to me like a waterfall. I couldn’t stop crying once I saw one tear come from his eyes, it really made sense to what in 2002 when we sat at the meeting in front of my mother, him and Lev Tucker he said I will be there for your son, I will jump on a sword for your son. You don’t have to worry about anything Mrs. Smith, we have it.”
