CuseLegacy
Moderator
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 93,253
- Like
- 142,870
Class of 2016 JUCO WR Riley Smith (CA)
- Thread starter CuseLegacy
- Start date
CuseLegacy
Moderator
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 93,253
- Like
- 142,870
Toga
Living Legend
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 30,165
- Like
- 69,793
Must be some story here. Supposedly runs a 4.4 (though his YPC are low) and had a Bama offer but no Boise State offer even though he's from Boise. A blurb on a pay site says he's overcome personal tragedy. Who has the deal on this kid?
Whitey23
Twitter Wizard
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 12,890
- Like
- 15,761
June 2015
College football’s heavy-hitters come calling for Timberline High grad Riley Smith
http://www.idahostatesman.com/sports/high-school/prep-football/article40863078.html
Scholarship offers did not pour in for Riley Smith during his senior year of high school football.
He graduated from Timberline in 2012 with a single offer to play for Snow College in Ephraim, Utah.
“I was really, really small,” Smith said. “I probably said I weighed 160 pounds, but I was really more like 150.”
Time has been good to Smith.
The now 6-foot, 192-pound slot receiver at Ventura College in California has accumulated 17 offers from FBS programs over the past few months.
It all started with a Twitter message from Alabama wide receivers coach Billy Napier on April 23.
“After that it just kind of blew up, once people figured out that I had an offer from (Alabama),” Smith said.
Thirty minutes after speaking with Napier, Florida contacted Smith with an offer, and then USC a few days after that.
As of this week, Smith said he has added offers from Arizona State, Arkansas State, BYU, Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan, Fresno State, Georgia State, Idaho State, Oklahoma, San Diego State, San Jose State, South Alabama, Texas State, Texas Tech and Utah State.
Smith is hopeful there are more offers to come, as he was invited to attend a Boise State camp Friday and Saturday, and has an unofficial visit at Oregon scheduled for Monday.
He said his top five schools — in no particular order — are Alabama, Arizona State, Boise State, Oregon and USC.
“If you just work hard and continue to chase your dreams, it can happen to anybody,” Smith said. “That’s the main thing I want to pass down to young kids or teenagers, that anything can happen if you work for it.”
At Snow College, Smith severely sprained his left ankle before the season started, and was told recovery would take at least six weeks. The Badgers wanted to redshirt Smith, but he decided to return to Boise and rehabilitate.
Instead of returning to the Badgers, Smith reached out to Ventura and was invited to join the team.
Smith caught 30 passes for just under 500 yards and six touchdowns in his freshman year at Ventura in 2013, but coach Steve Mooshagian said Smith had a lot of growing up to do, particularly in the classroom.
“He had a rough start. He had to grow up in a lot of ways, so we gave him a little tough love,” Mooshagian said. “His work ethic in the weight room and on the field was never a question, it was just he had to buckle down academically and actually put the same effort in the classroom as he did in training.”
Smith did not play for Ventura in 2014, but continued to take classes at the junior college to catch up academically. Coming out of high school, Smith was a partial qualifier, which means he must earn his associate’s degree before moving on to a Division I program.
With his academics back on track, Smith will be a versatile starter on offense for the Pirates this fall, playing anywhere from outside receiver to inside receiver to the backfield to special teams.
“He’s one of the fastest kids I’ve ever coached, and probably one of the best blocking receivers I’ve ever had,” Mooshagian said. “He really separates himself, and that’s why schools like Oregon like him, too, because he’s becoming a complete player.”
Smith has a 40 time of 4.37 seconds, a vertical of 41 inches, benches 315 pounds and squats 475.
While Mooshagian is proud of Smith’s progress, he was quick to point out that nothing is guaranteed.
“Early offers are exactly that. It’s a starting point. It shows you that they’re interested in you, but just as quickly as they like you, they can take it away,” Mooshagian said. “So you’ve got to stay humble, and you’ve got to stay focused.”
College football’s heavy-hitters come calling for Timberline High grad Riley Smith
http://www.idahostatesman.com/sports/high-school/prep-football/article40863078.html
Scholarship offers did not pour in for Riley Smith during his senior year of high school football.
He graduated from Timberline in 2012 with a single offer to play for Snow College in Ephraim, Utah.
“I was really, really small,” Smith said. “I probably said I weighed 160 pounds, but I was really more like 150.”
Time has been good to Smith.
The now 6-foot, 192-pound slot receiver at Ventura College in California has accumulated 17 offers from FBS programs over the past few months.
It all started with a Twitter message from Alabama wide receivers coach Billy Napier on April 23.
“After that it just kind of blew up, once people figured out that I had an offer from (Alabama),” Smith said.
Thirty minutes after speaking with Napier, Florida contacted Smith with an offer, and then USC a few days after that.
As of this week, Smith said he has added offers from Arizona State, Arkansas State, BYU, Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan, Fresno State, Georgia State, Idaho State, Oklahoma, San Diego State, San Jose State, South Alabama, Texas State, Texas Tech and Utah State.
Smith is hopeful there are more offers to come, as he was invited to attend a Boise State camp Friday and Saturday, and has an unofficial visit at Oregon scheduled for Monday.
He said his top five schools — in no particular order — are Alabama, Arizona State, Boise State, Oregon and USC.
“If you just work hard and continue to chase your dreams, it can happen to anybody,” Smith said. “That’s the main thing I want to pass down to young kids or teenagers, that anything can happen if you work for it.”
At Snow College, Smith severely sprained his left ankle before the season started, and was told recovery would take at least six weeks. The Badgers wanted to redshirt Smith, but he decided to return to Boise and rehabilitate.
Instead of returning to the Badgers, Smith reached out to Ventura and was invited to join the team.
Smith caught 30 passes for just under 500 yards and six touchdowns in his freshman year at Ventura in 2013, but coach Steve Mooshagian said Smith had a lot of growing up to do, particularly in the classroom.
“He had a rough start. He had to grow up in a lot of ways, so we gave him a little tough love,” Mooshagian said. “His work ethic in the weight room and on the field was never a question, it was just he had to buckle down academically and actually put the same effort in the classroom as he did in training.”
Smith did not play for Ventura in 2014, but continued to take classes at the junior college to catch up academically. Coming out of high school, Smith was a partial qualifier, which means he must earn his associate’s degree before moving on to a Division I program.
With his academics back on track, Smith will be a versatile starter on offense for the Pirates this fall, playing anywhere from outside receiver to inside receiver to the backfield to special teams.
“He’s one of the fastest kids I’ve ever coached, and probably one of the best blocking receivers I’ve ever had,” Mooshagian said. “He really separates himself, and that’s why schools like Oregon like him, too, because he’s becoming a complete player.”
Smith has a 40 time of 4.37 seconds, a vertical of 41 inches, benches 315 pounds and squats 475.
While Mooshagian is proud of Smith’s progress, he was quick to point out that nothing is guaranteed.
“Early offers are exactly that. It’s a starting point. It shows you that they’re interested in you, but just as quickly as they like you, they can take it away,” Mooshagian said. “So you’ve got to stay humble, and you’ve got to stay focused.”
Last edited:
Ernj
2nd String
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 854
- Like
- 1,796
So according to the article:
2012 - Snow College (began practicing, sprained ankle, never played).
2013 - Venture CC (played)
2014 - Ventura CC (did not play)
2015 - Ventura CC (played)
So if a player has 5 years to complete a career and he enrolled in 2012 and began practicing, does he only have 1 year of eligibility left? Also 3 years at a CC, one of which he didn't play football to catch up on academics, and no Associates degree yet?
2012 - Snow College (began practicing, sprained ankle, never played).
2013 - Venture CC (played)
2014 - Ventura CC (did not play)
2015 - Ventura CC (played)
So if a player has 5 years to complete a career and he enrolled in 2012 and began practicing, does he only have 1 year of eligibility left? Also 3 years at a CC, one of which he didn't play football to catch up on academics, and no Associates degree yet?
CuseOnly
All American
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2012
- Messages
- 6,320
- Like
- 6,393
Sounds like one of those years he didn't play he wasn't enrolled in school so it wouldn't count towards eligibility.
CuseLegacy
Moderator
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 93,253
- Like
- 142,870
No. That isn't how it works.
The five-year clock in NCAA Division I starts once the student-athlete enrolls full-time at any collegiate educational institution [two-year or four-year institution]. Once the five-year clock starts, it does not stop.
CuseOnly
All American
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2012
- Messages
- 6,320
- Like
- 6,393
There is a "Break In Enrollment" clause in the NJCAA at the JUCO level.
Ernj
2nd String
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 854
- Like
- 1,796
But if he took the year off to catch up on academics then he was enrolled.
IthacaBarrel
Shaky Potatoes
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 12,846
- Like
- 22,471
Looks like a one and done type
Whitey23
Twitter Wizard
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 12,890
- Like
- 15,761
He sure falls down a lot.
SUFan44
Hall of Fame
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
- Messages
- 8,793
- Like
- 17,239
I'm all for going the rent-a-player route if it gets us better players in the short term. Too often coaches worry about player development and "doing it the right way". While those two things are very important, if you need to go after some guys that are riskier and only around for one year due to talent deficiencies, do it. We are in no position to sit on our hands and say no to guys who can make the team better.
Ringostar57
All Conference
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2015
- Messages
- 2,155
- Like
- 2,535
Military service is one of the ways that circumvents the 5 year rule.
bnoro
Lurker
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
- Messages
- 10,900
- Like
- 30,465
Pretty sure this kid wasn't in the military...
Full_Rebar
All American
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2013
- Messages
- 4,073
- Like
- 4,213
I read it as he left the 1st school before the semester began since he was hurt, but maybe I'm wrong. If he never started classes at Snow, his clock doesn't start.
Ernj
2nd String
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 854
- Like
- 1,796
If he started practicing then the clock does start. Unless he hurt his ankle before he started any practices or classes, then his clock didn't start. At least that's how I understand it.
Ottoble
Starter
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2012
- Messages
- 1,096
- Like
- 1,019
I would expect if he is talented they take 1 to play 1 and apply for 6th year in the off-season if he projects as a starter/Key reserve in 2017. Give him a shot to prove himself if he does push hard for waiver which he clearly qualifies for or if he really really proves himself prep him for the draft.
