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Freshman defensive back Geno Smith has started two of Alabama's past three games and could play a key role on Jan. 7 in the BCS Championship Game against top-ranked Notre Dame. (The Birmingham News/Mark Almond)
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – In a short time, Geno Smith has come a long way as a freshman cornerback at Alabama.
He started the season as a backup, became a starter and now is the “star.” That is, he’s on the field as an extra defensive back in the nickel and dime packages. He started against Western Carolina and Georgia, and he could play a prominent role on Jan. 7 when the second-ranked Crimson Tide (12-1) meets top-ranked Notre Dame (12-0) in the BCS Championship Game.
"For a guy that's come out of high school and can participate in this defense, a lot of credit goes to him," said Alabama safety Robert Lester, a fifth-year senior and a third-year starter.
Smith, a precocious 6-foot, 182-pound product of St. Pius X High School in Atlanta, came to Alabama as a consensus four-star prospect who was rated the No. 2 cornerback in the nation by ESPNU. But those credentials don’t guarantee early playing time.
Injuries to some key special teams players gave Smith an opportunity to play on some units. Safeties were the "star" for most of the season. First Vinnie Sunseri and then Nick Perry played the role until it became evident that Alabama needed a cornerback matched against some slot receivers.
Enter Smith.
"He's doing a great job stepping up, making plays, being more mature there on the field and listening up to the leadership," star junior cornerback Dee Milliner said.
Michael Williams hasn't faced Smith often in practice, but it has been often enough to impress the senior tight end.
“Little feisty guy,” Williams said. “Reminds me a lot of Javy, to be honest, back when I was young and Javy used to beat me up a little bit. He has that capability, and I think he has a great future.”
Williams was referring to Javier Arenas, a former star cornerback and star "star" who now plays for the Kansas City Chiefs.
"You can tell he's way more confident now," Williams said of Smith. "In the beginning of camp, Coach (Nick) Saban just stayed on him, and he never backed down, he never went by the wayside or anything like that. He kept pushing, and now you're seeing late into the season coming in and helping us. He's contributing like a starter almost. I expect great things from him in the future."
Every year, Saban seems to pick on a player or two – usually a cornerback, because he head coach practically is a position coach.
“It can go two ways,” Williams said. “You can see progress, or you can see somebody totally disappear off the map. The ones that keep going and they can take the teaching and take out the hollering for a minute … those are the ones that come out good.”
Smith has broken up two passes – one against Western Carolina and one against Georgia – and assisted on a tackle for a loss against Auburn. At the Tide's postseason awards banquet, Smith and four teammates – Denzel Devall, D.J. Fluker, Quinton Dial and Arie Kouandjio – received a Commitment to Academic Execellence Award.
Smith has impressed Lester in many ways.
“Maturity, his character, not getting down, and actually pushing himself to learn plays, and to be prepared to go out there and play in such a huge state … playing in the SEC your first year is hard,” Lester said. “He’s done a great job handling that.”
Saban noted that Smith now has played three games at the “star” spot.
“He's done a really good job,” Saban said. “With a lot of these guys, it's just a matter of knowledge and experience. That breeds a tremendous amount of confidence in guys for them to play faster, because they know what they're supposed to do. Not that they can't continue to improve, but I think some guys progress more rapidly. He's shown a lot of maturity in how he's progressed.”
Most freshman defensive backs are taught two positions, Saban said.
“It takes them a little longer to get onto it,” Saban said. “Geno being a corner and trying to learn ‘star,’ we feel really good about the progress he's made. He's done a really good job for us and gives us three corners out there on the field, which in those matchup situations certainly is beneficial.
“Vinnie is really well-suited as a linebacker-type, safety-type, who can play in six defensive backs, so it's actually made us better in two spots.”