State's Top 10 Prospects: (No. 1) Smith on the fast track

Photo by Patrick Smith/Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Ooltewah High's Jacques Smith.

It's an odd time to be Jacques Smith.

While most other big-name prospects are weighing their scholarship offers, the News Sentinel's No. 1 prospect in the state is getting to know his college coaches, less than six months from joining them on campus.

While Smith tries to soak in every bit of advice Tennessee's coaches pass along, he knows he has to play a bit different this fall, his final high school season.

"High school ball is totally different from college," the 6-foot-2, 235-pound defensive end from Ooltewah High School said. "High school ball is more coming at you than college, especially the offensive linemen. It's a big difference.

"I'm not going to change the way I play, not yet."

Defensive line coach Ed Orgeron teaches Smith and other prospects in UT's camps to rely more on their hands and tries to improve their footwork.

"I really don't like Alabama's campus. I don't like their football team, either."

Jacques Smith of Ooltewah, a UT commitment

Smith, who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.62 seconds and posted a 34-inch vertical in UT's camp, plays high school football like most other ultra-talented prospects. Technique really isn't necessary.

"Go wherever the ball goes and tackle it," Smith said of his high school approach.

Smith, however, is smart enough to know that he can't so easily dominate college competition.

"That would be the complete wrong thing to do (in college) because you'll probably get 'pancaked'," Smith said.

The transition has its challenges.

"It's really confusing at times," Smith said. "You want to use your hands. But you can just run (high school players) over, not waste any time and just tackle the ball."

Smith's commitment to UT went public on Feb. 4, National Signing Day 2009. He was UT's first commitment to the 2010 signing class for new coach Lane Kiffin. Now there are 12.

"My decision just keeps getting better and better every day," Smith said. "You look at our recruiting class we have now. It's becoming everything Coach Kiffin said it would be when he first got there.

"It just feels really good when a coach is keeping his word. It makes you feel so much better as a player when you get closer to your coaches. It just starts all that chemistry and just makes everything super."

Of course, it's still more than five months until Smith officially will join the Vols. That's when he'll enroll at UT in January as a mid-termer.

That means other schools will keep calling. Alabama never stopped.

"They want me to come up for another visit," Smith said. "Coach (Joe) Pendry, the offensive line coach, said I'm the only person in Alabama's whole recruiting history that said they didn't like the campus.

"I really don't like Alabama's campus. I don't like their football team, either."

Smith's thoughts on Alabama are a bit surprising considering he was a fan of the Crimson Tide until he was 12 years old. Then Smith pulled an about-face and started rooting for UT.

Smith said he doesn't plan on visiting Tuscaloosa again. Other trips elsewhere are possible.

"I might take my officials somewhere else but those will just be for fun basically," Smith said.

Any trip will make Tennessee fans a bit anxious. LSU is worth watching, especially with former UT assistant John Chavis in his first year as defensive coordinator.

"I want to go down to Baton Rouge to see LSU, just to see Coach Chavis," Smith said. "I respect Coach Chavis a lot. He's told (head) Coach (Les) Miles about me and he's put me on LSU. I just want to see what their program has to offer.

"LSU, they always have a good defense and it's another top school in the SEC. Why not go check it out, at least once?"

Smith's official visits will be scheduled around his high school football season. Preseason camp begins later this week.

Smith's goals for the 2009 season are to help his team to the state championship game and, offensively, to showcase his athleticism as a tight end. He's intent on changing some perceptions.

"Another (goal) is to get more sacks to show people I'm a good pass rusher because people don't think I'm a good pass rusher for some reason," Smith said. "They think I take plays off. That's what some people say. I just want to show them I'm a real versatile player."

Cumberland County coach Russ Partin faced off against Smith twice last season as Farragut High School's offensive line coach. He saw Smith's pass rushing ability first-hand.

"He was very disruptive, like a wrecking ball," Partin said. "Very fast, very physical and athletic."

Smith registered 13 sacks last season. He's hoping for 20 sacks in 2009. As for the tackles for a loss, that will be a greater challenge.

"Last year I got 28 tackles for a loss," Smith said, "that's going to be hard to beat."

Smith's once-in-a-lifetime summer is almost over. It's been a lot of things. But relaxing isn't one of them.

"It hasn't been laid back," Smith said with a chuckle. "I've been working out hard. I've been up to Tennessee like three times to camps to work out with Coach Orgeron.

"It's been going by fast. I just can't wait to get into the season."