Signee QA: Marcus Smith
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Highland C.C. defensive lineman Marcus Smith is one of several junior
college reinforcements slated to shore up Texas Tech's defensive front this
season. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound prospect chose the Red Raiders over offers from
Boise State, Cincinnati, Louisville, North Texas, Texas State and others.
Smith is profiled below in the latest installment of our signee Q&A feature which we are running on all of the members of
the Red Raiders' 2014 signing
class.
Thoughts and opinions:
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOTBALL PLAYER OF ALL TIME?
"That's kind of hard. Currently in the league, I would say Ndamukong Suh. Of all
time, I'd go Warren Sapp."
WHAT IS THE BEST FOOTBALL TEAM THAT YOU'VE EVER SEEN, IN PERSON OR ON
TELEVISION?
"This past season with the Seattle Seahawks and what they did was amazing. They
were a great football team."
An up-close and personal look:
YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM YOUR FOOTBALL CAREER?
"I'd have to go this past season at Highland Community College. We beat the No.
2 team in the nation in Butler Community College. It was the first time in our
team's history that we beat them."
DID YOU EVER HAVE AN EMBARASSING MOMENT PLAYING FOOTBALL?
"My freshman year at Highland, I got juked and broke down pretty bad. It was
kind of embarrassing."
DO YOU HAVE A PREGAME RITUAL?
"I wouldn't really call it a ritual. But you know everyday before the game, I go
to the 40 or the endzone and drop down on my knee and thank God for the
opportunity he has blessed me with. Pray for God to watch over my team and the
game and just thank God for putting me in this position."
WHEN DID YOU FIRST REALIZE THAT YOU HAD THE POTENTIAL TO BE A DIVISION I
FOOTBALL PLAYER?
"After my freshman year at Highland, my coach told me, I was at 275 pounds or
what not, coach told me that if I get to 300 pounds I was going to be a Division
I lineman, so I put on weight in the spring and was putting on weight, got to
300 pounds. I knew I was going D1 after I put the weight on."
Thoughts on Texas Tech:
WHAT POSITION WILL YOU BE PLAYING AT TECH?
"I'm going to be playing nose guard, but Im going to be playing tackle also. So
I'm going to be playing nose and the tackle in that 3-4 defense. I'm going to be
playing all over the line."
ARE YOU EXPECTING TO REDSHIRT YOUR FIRST SEASON ON-CAMPUS?
"Oh no never."
WHAT IS A PERSONAL STRENGTH THAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE TABLE AT TECH?
"I'm going to be bringing leadership. I'm a junior college transfer, so I can
bring more experience to the position, I can bring leadership, and especially
bring a lot of energy. I'm a high motor guy, running around, I'm always hype.
Bring that leadership and energy."
WHAT IS ONE THING THAT YOU NEED TO WORK IN ORDER TO PLAY AT THE NEXT
LEVEL?
"Right now I would say that you can't be too strong. So work on my strength, I
want to get a little bit stronger. Basically everything. I'm always trying to
get better. Speed, strength, basically everything. Adjust to the speed of the
game playing Division I football."
HOW OFTEN DO YOU WORK OUT AND WHAT IS YOUR ROUTINE?
"I workout everyday basically. I got a class where I workout in the morning
time. When I get home from class I also do my own workout. I do the workout that
Tech has given me. I go basically twice a week. In the evenings I sometimes do
jump ropes, I really love jump roping."
Personal preferences:
WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
"In my spare time I just watch football. I watch football a lot. I watch ESPN in
my spare time. I'm always constantly trying to do something. Doing something
that's going to better me as a student athlete. As of right now, I'm just
studying a lot to better my grades so I can be ready to go to Tech. I just hit
the books."
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD?
"Macaroni and Cheese."
DO YOU HAVE A NICKNAME?
"Yeah everybody calls me Ham. Anything with Ham really."
HAVE YOU DECIDED ON WHAT YOU WANT TO MAJOR IN AT TECH?
"Well right now I plan on majoring in business. My brother graduated last year
from North Carolina Central with a business degree. So we always talk about
getting into business and starting our own business. Somewhere in the business
field, I haven't pinpointed a specific one yet, but definitely business."
HAVE YOU MET ALL OF THE ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS TO ENROLL AT TECH?
"Yes sir. I got everything squared away for awhile now."
A look at the recruiting process:
WHAT ONE THING WAS THE DETERMINING FACTOR IN YOUR DECISION?
"Well I had like three or four things going into every school during the process
that would determine where I was going to go. The first thing you know, was that
I wanted to be in a winning program of course. I didn't want to go somewhere and
be a part of a losing program. The second one was that I'm a junior college
transfer, and I wanted to go somewhere that I knew I could get early playing
time. I got 2 years there, so I can't afford coming from the bench or taking a
redshirt. I also wanted to go somewhere where it felt like home, great fanbase,
great coaches. I wanted to go somewhere with great coaches, coaches that really
love their players. I felt like the coaches at Tech really care about their
players. They want the best for their players. I felt that vibe when I was there
on my visit. I had a lot of players come and tell me that the coaches were cool.
The coaches were really my deciding factor."
IS THERE A TECH COACH THAT YOU FEEL ESPECIALLY CLOSE TO?
"No doubt with coach Scott, my position coach. Me and him built up a bond real
quick. I'm close to the defensive coordinator too, coach Wally."
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE MOMENT DURING THE PROCESS?
"My favorite moment was when I committed. It was a big weight lifted off my
shoulders. I didn't have to worry about it no more. That was the most exciting
moment for me."
WHAT WAS THE WORST PART ABOUT THE PROCESS?
"I would say the worst part about the process was telling the other schools 'no'
Telling the other schools that I committed already or telling the other coaches
that I'm not visiting there anymore. It's kind of hard to tell the coaches. Some
of the coaches are coming at you in all different ways, it's kind of hard to
tell them that I'm not interested or that I am committed to Tech."
DID YOU MAKE FRIENDS WITH ANY CURRENT PLAYERS AT TECH OR INCOMING
FRESHMEN DURING THE PROCESS?
"Well I actually have a teammate from Highland coming with me, a defensive
lineman in Brandon Thorpe. He's my friend here now, so having him there. And B-Jax
(Branden Jackson) was my host, he was my host when I was there. He seemed pretty
cool. We talked more about off the field stuff."
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT YOUR OFFICIAL VISIT TO TECH?
"My favorite part was really just all of it. It's kind of hard to pick my
favorite moment. I just enjoyed the whole time. The whole atmosphere, the
coaches, the teammates, going out on Friday and Saturday night, I enjoyed it
all. I'd have to say everything.'
WHAT SCHOOL WOULD YOU HAVE CHOSEN IF YOU HADN'T SIGNED WITH THE RED
RAIDERS?
"I would have to say Louisville. Me and Bobby Petrino had a good relationship.
He was actually the first one to give me my first offer when he was at Western
Kentucky."
The future and goals:
WHAT NUMBER WOULD YOU LIKE TO WEAR AT TECH?
"I want to wear No. 11. No. 8 or 11 really. There really isn't a reason why, I
just like those numbers."
WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL GOAL FOR THIS SEASON?
"To be the best person on the field you know. I strive to be the greatest. I
always want to be the best at everything. Be the best on the field and help Tech
win games in every way possible."
WHEN WILL YOU ARRIVE IN LUBBOCK FOR GOOD?
"I talked to coach Scott last week and he said the middle of May."