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Cleveland native finally fit to play as Ravens QB
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Sunday, Nov 02, 2008
BEREA: Coming out of inner-city Cleveland, beating out a highly touted recruit to become the starting quarterback at Ohio State and winning the Heisman Trophy, Troy Smith has an indomitable spirit that has helped him survive and flourish.
That spirit was tested in August, when the Baltimore Ravens' second-year quarterback developed a rare complication from a tonsil infection that had specialists across the country clamoring to consult on his case.
The severe illness, which left him struggling to breathe and caused him to lose 20 pounds, struck the day before he was to start the third preseason game, Aug. 23 at St. Louis.
At that point, No. 1 Kyle Boller had just been diagnosed with a shoulder injury that would end his season. The Ravens' front office agreed it didn't want first-round pick Joe Flacco at the helm in the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.
On the verge of grabbing the reins, as he had from Massillon's Justin Zwick at OSU, Smith found himself hospitalized.
Ravens team physician Andrew Tucker told the Carroll County (Md.) Times that Smith's illness was ''extraordinarily unlucky,'' but said, ''His health was never in danger. He was never critically ill.''
General Manager Ozzie Newsome said it was fortunate Smith was in Baltimore, home of a world-class medical facility like Johns Hopkins.
''Having the kid here was very good for him,'' Newsome said last week. ''A lot of specialists around the country wanted a part of that one. Over the course of 50 years, there had only been a certain number of cases — I can't remember the number — triple digits. Fortunately, we caught it in time.''
An ESPN.com report said the number was 100.
When a friend's life-threatening illness was mentioned that was thought to have started in his tonsils and left his lungs encased in fluid and his kidneys failing, Newsome said, ''All that was talked about.''
A report on the Ravens' Web site said Smith had a blood clot on his jugular vein that caused pockets of infection in his lungs. Newsome said Smith was away from the team facility for two weeks because he was on oral and IV antibiotics.
Even Smith's high school coach at Glenville, Ted Ginn Sr., sounds relieved that Smith was back on the field last week against the Oakland Raiders, playing in a special package that saw him toss a 43-yard pass to Flacco.
''The important thing is him being healthy,'' Ginn said. ''That was a serious sickness. Attack your immune system, that will take you out.''
In an interview in late September, Smith said he never thought his career was over. A fifth-round pick because he stands just under 6-foot, he played in four games at the end of the 2007 season with two starts.
The scare did help him gain a new appreciation for things he had taken for granted.
''For example, being able to breathe on a consistent basis,'' Smith said. ''That was taken away from me for a period of time. Being able to run and take deep breaths again . . . that means everything.''
He admitted then that he thought about the lost chance to start, but said, ''I won't even go down that road. The cure for me now is winning.''
Newsome and Ginn know Smith was down about the bad timing of his illness.
''Was he disappointed? Yes, any competitor would be,'' Newsome said. ''But [coach] John [Harbaugh] explained things to him and Troy understood. He has been in some other situations before and he knew what we were talking about. It took us all three quarterbacks to play the season last year.
''A week later, he talked with me about how he can still have a career in this league. There's a history of backup quarterbacks who get an opportunity — look at [Tennessee's] Kerry Collins right now. I also told him there were ways we were going to get him on the field this year. He relished that role.''
Now back to his 215-pound playing weight, Smith returns to his hometown today as the Ravens (4-3) take on the Browns (3-4). He probably will play in an option package that debuted against the Raiders; he ran three times for 13 yards and threw the long pass.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel spoke to Smith on Friday and asked him about returning to Cleveland.
''He said, 'I try to keep it in perspective, that it's just another game.' That told me he was excited and trying to keep himself from getting too excited,'' Tressel said.
Tressel said Smith was also pumped to face Browns defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, the former co-coordinator and defensive backs coach at Ohio State.
''He used to go head to head with Mel in practice and he said, 'Coach Mel has got those guys playing so good, I can't wait if I get some chances. It will be like the old days,' '' Tressel said.
Newsome agreed that Smith will have added incentive.
''To play against the team he grew up rooting for his whole life, he's probably not sleeping very well,'' Newsome said. ''But he's not going to overdo it. He's not going to try to put an 'S' on his chest. But if there's a 20-foot jumper to win the game, Troy wants the chance to take that shot.''
In 2007, Smith completed 40-of-76 passes for 452 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, along with 12 rushes for 54 yards and a score. Before Smith's illness, Newsome said, he had made strides working with quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.
''[Last year] he demonstrated the ability to extend plays, get you three or four first downs and keep drives alive,'' Newsome said. ''He's very engaging, has a certain leadership style. Hue and Cam had been working with his mechanics to get him to become a better passer, which was no more evident than on the throw to Joe. That was as accurate a throw as he could have had.''
Newsome seems convinced that a 6-foot quarterback can play in the NFL.
''Look at Drew Brees. How tall was Brian Sipe?'' Newsome said. ''If we had an injury with Joe, we think we'd have a productive offense with Troy. You need two quarterbacks, as Dallas and New England are finding out.''
Former Browns coach Sam Rutigliano watched Smith at Ohio State and coached Sipe, who he said was 5-foot-113/4.
''You have to have height in your brain, those 8 inches between your ears,'' Rutigliano said. ''[Smith] has all the intangibles, won all those games against Michigan. He's a good enough athlete with a good enough arm. Some quarterbacks see the defense in slow motion, others see it like Times Square on New Year's Eve. Troy Smith is a winner. You don't spit him out because he's not 6-2. That's insane.''
New Ravens coach Harbaugh seems to share that view.
''We thought between the first practice in our first minicamp and when he got sick in training camp, he had made leaps and bounds as a quarterback,'' Harbaugh said on a conference call. ''There still is no question he's going to be a very successful NFL quarterback.''
In late September, Smith sounded undaunted by the setback of his illness.
''I think things happen to people for a reason,'' he said. ''I believe the great things happen to great people. Being how rare it was, who's to say [not]?''
Tressel recruited Smith to Ohio State as an ''athlete'' before Smith won him over. So he doesn't believe that Smith's recent medical crisis will stop him.
''He has fought back from when people thought he's not going to be the guy and it ends up he is the guy,'' Tressel said. ''You'd have to shoot him to keep him from competing.
''He's probably had more ups and downs at his young age than I've had in my old age. You can't break him.''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: Coming out of inner-city Cleveland, beating out a highly touted recruit to become the starting quarterback at Ohio State and winning the Heisman Trophy, Troy Smith has an indomitable spirit that has helped him survive and flourish.
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