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COLLEGE PARK, Md.
--He already knew he'd have more duties than he did as a redshirt freshman last season. When you're the oldest of seven children, responsibility isn't optional.But when Torrey Smith received a phone call from his University of Maryland coaches last month, he was surprised at their request.
They wanted him to move from flanker, where he started the last six games in 2008, to split end. That's merely the position that Darrius Heyward-Bey manned for the previous three years before he became the seventh overall pick in April's NFL draft.
Smith admitted the request didn't sit well with him at first. It had taken him two years to adjust to playing receiver after starring at quarterback for Stafford High School. And he had spent spring practice at flanker. Now that he was finally comfortable and productive, he was being asked to change again?
But Smith never has been a me-first guy. And when his coaches explained that his old and new positions were remarkably similar--and that the move would give him more chances to make big plays--he gladly agreed.
"It's a lot of the same routes," Smith said Monday at the Terrapins' annual media day. "And [split end] is the [quarterback's] first read. It gives me the opportunity to potentially touch the ball a little more."
The young Terrapins hope to get the ball into Smith's hands as often as possible this fall. After all, he set a school record last season by averaging 21.3 yards per touch (on receptions, runs and kickoff returns).
And his 1,089 kickoff return yards were the highest in Atlantic Coast Conference history--including a 99-yard touchdown in a Humanitarian Bowl victory over Nevada. The Terps hope that Smith can assume a role like the ones Florida's Percy Harvin or Missouri's Jeremy Maclin handled last year.
"He's a great weapon," special teams coach Charles Bankins said. "We've talked about Torrey leading the country in all-purpose yardage. I told him if he does his part as a receiver, I'll take care of the rest."
Receivers coach Lee Hull noted that the position change resulted from junior Adrian Cannon's development as Smith's backup. Since Heyward-Bey was gone, why not exploit both players' talents?
Said Hull: "We're trying to get the best people on the field."
No matter where he lines up, Smith will be one of the Terps' best people--not merely one of their top players.
Head coach Ralph Friedgen and offensive coordinator James Franklin rave more about Smith's character than his obvious athletic abilities. Just a sophomore, Smith is serving his second season on the Terrapin Council, a panel of players empowered to make decisions on team conduct and penalties.
But that won't get you open against man-to-man coverage. Heyward-Bey's 4.2 speed in the 40-yard dash allowed him to simply outrun opposing cornerbacks; Smith may have to use his head a little more.
"Torrey is just as capable as Darrius," senior quarterback Chris Turner said. "He may not be quite as fast, but he's pretty close. It's a matter of maybe a tenth of a second. And Torrey also has the ability to make guys miss in space."
Smith would be glad to lighten his kickoff return load this season. Besides setting the ACC single-season record for yardage in 2008, he also led the league in attempts--a reflection of Maryland's defensive struggles.
"Hopefully," he said, "I'll only touch the ball once a game [on kickoff returns]."
And after his TD against Nevada, opponents may kick away from Smith more this season. But he's excited by the tweaks Bankins has made to the Terps' return game.
"Coach Bankins wants six. He's not satisfied with big yards; he wants a touchdown every time," Smith said. "Each time I'm out on the field, I want to score."
The Terps will need him to do just that. With only 14 seniors on the roster, they've been picked to finish fifth in the ACC's Atlantic Division. They're not likely to prove their critics wrong without a substantial contribution from Smith. Two magazines named him a preseason third-team All-America return man, and one chose him third-team all-ACC at receiver.
Said Hull: "I'm hoping he does have a breakout year. This is his year to do that."
Steve DeShazo: 540/374-5443
Email: sdeshazo@freelancestar.com
