No Longer Playing Catch-Up

Smith, Once a Quarterback, Is Ready for Breakout Season at Wide Receiver

Flashing a wide smile, Torrey Smith held up his left hand, extended each finger one by one and counted to five.

"That's how many times I played receiver in high school," Smith said. "Five plays."

How the third-year Maryland sophomore went from a well-regarded high school quarterback to well-regarded college wide receiver after moving to the position just two seasons ago is a testament to cerebral skills as much as physical attributes.

Smith earned most of his notoriety last season for his performance as a kick returner after setting the ACC's single-season record with 1,089 kickoff return yards. But his emergence as a wide receiver -- 16 of his 24 catches last season came during the final six games -- has coaches and teammates eager to see his next step in his growth as a wide receiver.

Off the field, he is preparing for his second season on the Terrapin Council, the team's leadership committee, and has become one of the prominent faces of a young team. On the field, Smith has progressed more quickly than even he had envisioned, and he often listens to former Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey tell him that he will ultimately break all of Heyward-Bey's receiving marks.

"I didn't expect to have a role here until this year," Smith said. "Everything last year was just an added bonus. Everything has happened a lot faster."

At Stafford High in Virginia, Smith earned acclaim as a quarterback -- he was ranked 28th nationally by Rivals.com as a dual-threat player -- and received some interest by Purdue to play the position. But Smith shared the vision of those closest to him -- that he was destined to play defensive back or wide receiver.

Maryland showed interest in Smith as a wide receiver, and he committed at the end of his junior year. He knew he faced a steep learning curve considering the wide receiver portion of his high school résumé: Five plays. Three catches. One touchdown.

"That's it," Smith said, adding that he had to plead with his high school coaches just to play the position.

Smith did not recognize his potential until arriving at Maryland's summer camp in 2007 and finding success against Kevin Barnes and Isaiah Gardner, defensive backs he used to observe from afar. During that redshirt season, Smith was voted the scout team offensive player of the year and collected advice from Barnes and Gardner.

Last season, while Smith played at wide receiver and kick returner in all 13 games, he felt he was "just out there playing" during the first half of the season, relying on athletic ability. Things didn't click until Heyward-Bey took him aside and explained the extent of his mental preparation each week.

"It's one thing to watch film," Smith said. "It's another thing to understand what you are watching."