Chaney's Smith is ready for finale

The Youngstown quarterback leads the Tigers against South Carolina.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
After being the University of Missouri's starting quarterback for the past four seasons and breaking 59 records, Brad Smith of Youngstown will be playing in his final game for the Tigers in Friday's Independence Bowl at Shreveport, La.
Smith, who already graduated last May and is in graduate school at Missouri, will be looking to go out with a victory against the University of South Carolina in the 3:30 p.m. game (ESPN) that has a pay-out of $1.2 million.
He and 15 of his teammates will come into the game with the experience of having played in the 2003 Independence Bowl, giving Missouri an advantage over South Carolina whose last bowl outing was in 2001 in the Outlook Bowl.
Smith played in the 2003 MainStay Independence Bowl as a sophomore and compiled 251 total yards in the Tigers' 27-14 loss to Arkansas. He completed 17 of 30 passes for 155 yards with one interception, and ran for 96 more yards and one touchdown.
Smith is a leader
Smith, a graduate of Chaney High, hopes to continue to provide leadership for the Tigers in his finale.
"I just try to lead by example, that's the only way I know how," Smith said. "I'm trying to come out and play fast, make great decisions, and be focused. The best way to lead guys is to show them that you're focused, and get them to jump on your back."
Missouri (6-5) and South Carolina (7-4) will be meeting for only the second time. Missouri won the first meeting, 24-14, in the 1979 Hall of Fame Bowl in Birmingham, Ala.
Missouri is coached by Gary Pinkel (Kent State, 1973), in his fifth year at the helm with a 28-30 record. South Carolina's coach is Steve Spurrier who is in his first year as skipper.
Smith said Missouri can expect a strong challenge from the Gamecocks.
"They are very sound, they have great athletes on the defensive line and in the secondary," Smith said. "They don't seem to get out of position much, so its going to come down to execution."
Smith made NCAA history
Smith, who recently was named to the All-Big 12 Conference First Team for the first time in his career in the all-purpose category, is the first quarterback in NCAA I-A history to throw for 8,000 yards and rush for 4,000 in a career.
He has passed for 8,517 yards and run for 4,139 yards.
So far this season, Smith has passed for 2,022 yards and 12 TDs -- breaking the 2,000-yard passing mark for the second time in his career. He also has rushed for a Big-12-leading 1,151 yards with 13 TDs.
Smith has accounted for two of the three times that a player in NCAA Div. I history has passed for 2,000 yards and rushed for 1,000 yards in one season.
His 59 records encompass Missouri, Big 12 Conference and NCAA single-game, single-season and career standards.
Won post-graduate award
Smith also is an outstanding student. A business administration major who now is studying economics in graduate school, he was selected to the 2005 National Scholar-Athlete Class as announced by the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame.
He was one of eight Division I-A players (16 in all divisions) to earn the prestigious distinction, which earned him an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship.
Smith and the other 15 National Scholar-Athlete Award recipients were honored at the 48th NFF Awards Dinner on Dec. 6 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.
One of them, defensive lineman Rudy Niswanger of Louisiana State, was selected as the No. 1 scholar-athlete in the nation at the banquet, and was presented the 2005 Draddy Trophy which is considered to be the "Academic Heisman."
Smith also volunteers with the Mike Jones Football Clinic, Chancellor's Lunch, Big Brothers and Big Sisters Bowl for Kids Sake, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Food Drive, Truman Club and Athletes-in-Action, among many other activities.
kovach@vindy.com