SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Football

Fantasy football:

Alex Smith, NFL's No. 1 draft pick, returns home

By Phillip Brents
Posted June 16, 2005

Alex Smith is living proof that nice guys do, in fact, finish first. That was amply demonstrated June 3 at Helix High School when the former Highlanders quarterback — taken as the No. 1 pick in this year’s NFL Draft — returned to his alma mater to sign copies of a biography authored by his cousin while also taking part in ceremonies that doubled as the school’s first Football Hall of Fame induction.

“It’s exciting to be back and supporting the school. High school had an impact on my life. It’s great to be back,” said the 20-year-old Smith, who was tabbed by the San Francisco 49ers in April’s NFL Draft held amid gala proceedings in New York City.

At times looking a bit tired from signing hundreds of autographs — the line adjacent to the Helix High football field would seem to suddenly disappear, only to be replenished with more eager autograph hounds in a matter of seconds — the 2004 Heisman Trophy finalist never refused an invitation for a personal photo opportunity or to simply shake hands and offer words of encouragement to the youngest members in line.

“Absolutely,” he said each time as he raised his 6-foot-4 frame out of the chair to pose with strangers and former teammates alike.

His smile was as generous and sincere with every flash of every camera aimed his way.

Fame has clearly not tarnished his clean-cut, boy-next-door image, nor is it likely ever to do so. Alex Smith is, in one word, a self-made man — someone who has risen above the ranks with hard work and a resolve to be the best.
Instant fame also has brought its share of responsibilities and unexpected obligations. But it appears he has tackled both with equal ease.

“People don’t realize what comes with the territory. Even at college, I never had it like this,” the one-time Bonita Vista Middle School student said between signing copies of his biography. “It’s strange being in a foreign city and being bombarded (by fans). It can be awkward. But it comes with the territory of being an NFL quarterback and being the No. 1 draft pick.”

The one-time Helix homecoming king paused as he picked up his black marking pen as another fan thrust a copy of the book in front of him. “But it’s great,” he continued.

Smith, whose No. 11 49ers jersey is expected to be available soon for retail purchase, has already been in San Francisco participating in mini-camps and practices. The 49ers’ full training camp opens July 28 in Santa Clara. He will make a return trip to San Diego County on Sept. 1 when the 49ers engage the Chargers in an exhibition game at Qualcomm Stadium.

The 2005 NFL regular season kicks off Sept. 8. The 49ers finished 2-14 last season. While Smith’s role this season with the 49ers is as yet unknown, it is clear that he will be “the guy they’re going to in the future,” according to his mother, Pam Smith, who along with her husband, Dr. Doug Smith, attended the June 3 event.

The Smiths are obviously proud parents, both from the standpoint of the milestone achieved by their son but also by his gentlemanly conduct both on and off the playing field. The perfect son? A fairy tale story? Try both.

“We’ve heard from people we haven’t heard from in a long time,” Pam Smith said. “Now we’re trying to help him sort through it all.”

Alex Smith is the second youngest of four children in the family. Older brother Josh attended UC Davis, older sister Abby played soccer at Cal State Northridge and younger sister McKenzie is a freshman at UC Davis where she plays soccer. All attended Helix where their father serves as principal. The family lives in Bonita and all four siblings attended Bonita Vista Middle School before attending Helix.

Abby Smith now serves as the director of sports for the South Bay YMCA.

All the Smith siblings grew up playing soccer in the area.

Alex Smith played AYSO soccer and later played CYSA competitive club soccer with the Bonita Rebels. He also played the second base and shortstop positions for Sweetwater Valley Little League and played one year of Pop Warner youth football (in the Midget Division as an eighth grader) with the Chula Vista Aztecs.

“You wouldn’t have known who I was,” Smith said in reference to his less-than-stellar showing in youth sports.
The younger Smith said he chose football because his father coached the sport. The Helix product worked hard at improving, eventually making the varsity team as a junior and senior whereupon he led the Highlanders to a 25-1 record and a pair of San Diego Section Division II championship titles.

The entire family accompanied Alex to New York for NFL Draft Day. The Smith’s New York entourage included 25 family members, friends and former coaches.

“You don’t get to do that but once in a lifetime or once in a rare moment,” said Alex’s father, who played college football at Weber State. “It was exciting. It was absolutely enjoyable because your whole family was there. It was special. Happy is an understatement.”

A phenomenal final two years at the University of Utah, capped by a Fiesta Bowl victory, a 12-0 season and a final No. 4 national ranking in the college polls catapulted the younger Smith into the draft pick spotlight. He was anticipated as a high draft choice — as standout quarterbacks usually are — but his age was a drawback. Alex completed his undergraduate degree in economics in two years at Utah and began working on his master’s degree last fall. Perhaps it was the intellectual factor — the ability to grasp and solve problems in rapid fashion — that caught the eye of NFL coaches along with his superior athletic achievements.

Smith concluded his three years at Utah by passing for 5,203 yards and 47 touchdowns. Last season alone he passed for 2,952 yards and 32 touchdowns. He finished second in the nation in pass efficiency en route to earning the Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year award. He was named a first team All-American and the Football Academic All-American of the Year.

“Alex was happy to be there but did not go in there with any expectations. As you can imagine, it was an emotional moment,” said Pam Smith, who currently works for the County of San Diego as the deputy director of health and human services.

“There was no expectation that it was going to happen to him,” said Doug Smith, who coached two years at the collegiate level as well as serving as a high school coach in Idaho and Washington.

Pam Smith called her son’s ultimate selection as the No. 1 NFL Draft pick as “unbelievable feeling” for everyone in the family, and especially for Alex.

“On the (draft) day itself, it was absolutely overwhelming. Alex was an unlikely contender to end up as the No. 1 pick. He was never recruited out of high school. Less than two years ago, he was a third-string quarterback at a college that hadn’t won a conference championship in 46 years. To get where he’s at is amazing. But it’s taken a lot of hard work. But he believed in himself,” the proud mother said.

Clearly, Alex Smith’s story is an inspirational one — as documented by his cousin in the book that is chock full of photographs and personal experiences. Heather Simonsen is based in Salt Lake City. When her cousin became the No. 1 NFL Draft pick, a publisher in Utah wanted to bring that message to the rest of the country.

The biography starts with Smith’s amazing finish at the Fiesta Bowl where he passed for 328 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Utes to a 35-7 victory against Pittsburgh and a final No. 4 national ranking and goes back in time to focus on his upbringing and his college career.

“It has a message about hard work,” Pam Smith said. “He believed he could play at that level. He wanted to play Division I. The first year (at Utah) didn’t go so great but with a lot of hard work and belief in himself, he succeeded. I think Americans like the underdog.”

Smith attributed his current standing in the pro football spotlight “definitely to hard work.”

“It was self-made. It was due to all the work I put in. I can say that I definitely put in the work to be No. 1,” he said.

No arguments there.

Helix Hall of Fame
The success over the years of the Highlanders football program is not only impressive but may be unprecedented in the annals of the San Diego Section. Since 1977, Helix teams have qualified for the section playoffs in 28 out of 29 years, appeared in 11 division championship game and won six titles.

The school’s first class of Hall of Fame inductees certainly calls attention to that. Besides Smith, also inducted in midfield ceremonies following final spring scrimmages for the school’s junior varsity and varsity football teams, were Jim Arnaiz, Jim Plum, Scott Webb, Leon White and current USC star Reggie Bush -- a finalist along with former teammate Smith for the 2004 Heisman Trophy award, college football’s most prized individual honor.

Helix High School, which opened its doors in 1951, had previously not elected to honor its football heroes but with the unusual circumstance of both Smith and Bush being Heisman Trophy finalists this past season, the decision was made to start up a Football Hall of Fame.

Arnaiz became a legend coaching football at Helix prior to relinquishing the head coaching job in 1999. He owns the fourth most coaching wins at 219 in section history and owns the distinction of having the school’s football field named in his honor. He currently serves as an administrative assistant at the school.

Plum, a1982 graduate, put passing on the map in the section. He was the county’s first Parade magazine All-American and is listed in 13 passing categories in the section record book, including most career passing yards (6,913 -- third), most passing yards in one season (3,326 -- fourth), most passing yards in one game (434 -- sixth), most career touchdown passes (70 -- third) and most touchdown passes in one season (32 -- fourth).

It should be noted that it took14 years for another quarterback to top Plum’s career passing numbers. He still holds the section record for highest pass completion percentage in one season at 66.7 percent, set in 1980.

White, 1981 graduate, went on to play at the collegiate level at BYU. He was All-WAC in 1983 and 1984, was named the Most Valuable Defensive Player at the 1984 Holiday Bowl in helping lead the 13-0 Cougars to a 24-17 victory against Michigan and the national championship and signed with the NFL Cincinnati Bengals in 1985. He played six years in the NFL, including two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. He appeared in the 1989 Super Bowl as a member of the Bengals against the San Francisco 49ers.

A linebacker, White had seven unassisted tackles, two assisted tackles and two quarterback sacks in what turned out to be the 1984 national championship game in San Diego.

Webb, a 1983 graduate, still holds the 11-man football kicking record in the section for most career points (207) as well as section records for most kicking points scored in one game (17 -- five field goals and two point-after touchdowns) and most field goals in one game (five). He ranks second in the section record book with 29 career field goals and fourth with 12 field goals in one season.

During the 1982-83 season, Webb won CIF titles in football, basketball and baseball.

Bush, who had his No. 5 jersey retired, owns two national championship rings with USC and was named the Most Valuable Player with the Trojans this past season as voted by his teammates.

Smith and Bush played alongside one another for two seasons — Smith’s junior and senior years and Bush’s sophomore and junior years.

Bush rushed for 34 touchdowns during the 2001 season and added 27 his senior year despite missing four games due to injury. He finished his prep career with 4,995 yards and scored 450 points.