Arizona Football: Rod Smith Quarterback Coach of the Year finalist
Arizona Quarterbacks coach Rod Smith has been named a finalist as FBA 2017 Quarterbacks Coach of the Year. It was announced on Tuesday by Football Scoop.
Arizona Football Quarterbacks Coach Rod Smith was named a finalist in the AstroTurf sponsored Football Scoop Quarterbacks Coach of the year. The award is not voted on by fans or a group of experts or media. What makes this award special is that it is chosen by last seasons winner.
Last season’s winner is a Pac-12 coach. Tyson Helton won the 2016 FootballScoop Quarterbacks Coach of the Year award last season. He won because of the success and turnaround of the Trojans record due to the success of Sam Darnold.
Arizona Wildcats Football
If there is any coach in the nation that would understand what the difference between another 3-9 season and a 7-5 season in the competitive Pac-12 division, it would be Helton.
After all, the Trojans recruited by his brother, USC head coach Clay Helton, and it was Clay that felt it was essential to console the Arizona quarterback after a brilliant comeback attempt in a game that would decide the Pac-12 South Championship.
Never in a million years did the Helton brothers think they would have to prepare for Arizona in the game of the season. They probably understood, though, that a comeback was in the stars for Arizona and their hot-footed, and Heisman Trophy candidate Tate.
In a turnaround season not many predicted besides Arizona Football, the 7-5 Wildcats can attribute it’s success to Heisman Candidate quarterback Khalil Tate and his coach Rod Smith. This season, Smith had seven quarterbacks in his arsenal. Three freshmen (Rhett Rodriguez, Donavan Tate, and K’Hari Lane), a seasoned junior (Brandon Dawkins), a senior (Zach Werlinger) and a sophomore who broke records and led the team to a winning record, something he promised a year ago over winter break when he spoke to ZZ.
But a quarterback needs a coach, a coach who believes in his abilities, a coach who goes to bat for who he thinks is the right choice for success. Tate’s coach is Rod Smith.
Smith had a hard task ahead of him this season coming off of a 3-9 losing depressing season. He had to get his seven quarterbacks ages about 18-27 to become a unit and help each other. With Rhett Rod understanding the entire playbook, as he studied and built it through the years with his dad, head coach Rich Rodriguez, that couldn’t have hurt. He also had a seasoned quarterback in Brandon Dawkins, and Tate and Dawkins had competition this season to compete with for a starting job.
The result was a winning season which had the potential, if Tate had played more at the beginning of the season and didn’t get hurt in the ASU game, to have more wins under their belt.
Dave Hirsch, in this week’s Pac-12 press release, listed all Arizona’s quarterback Khalil Tate has accomplished in the regular season. It’s impressive:
"• Rushing Yards/Season – 1,353 yards (Pac-12 rushing record by a quarterback)• Rushing Yards/Game – 135.3 ypg (No. 4 FBS)• Single Game FBS QB rushing record: 327 yards vs. Colorado (Oct. 7)• Rushing back-to-back games: 557 yards (327 at COLO, 230 vs. UCLA). Fourth-best in Pac-12 history• October Rushing Totals: 884 yards (most by a FBS player in a single month in more than a decade)• Five rushes of 70+ yards: 75 at COLO, 71 vs. UCLA, 76 at CAL, 82 vs. WSU, 71 vs. OSU• 10 of his 12 rushing TDs this season have covered 32 or more yards: 58, 28, 47, 75, 45, 71, 76, 49, 32, 19, 71 and 1 yard (47.7 avg)• Leads FBS in yards per rush attempt (10.2)"
Take in the sights and sounds of Coach Smith in action:
Smith is going up against seven other coaches.
"Quarterbacks Coach (Note: As head coach Lincoln Riley is ineligible)Jim Chaney, GeorgiaRyan Day, Ohio StateJosh Heupel, MissouriRhett Lashlee, ConnecticutRod Smith, ArizonaWarren Ruggerio, Wake ForestMario Verduzo, Central FloridaBright Wright, Toledo"
Must Read: More on Arizona Football from ZZ....
Per Football Scoop contributor per Zach Barnett, “Winners will be revealed throughout the month and will receive their awards at the AFCA Convention in Charlotte in January.” We wish Arizona Football Quarterbacks Coach Rod Smith much success. He has our vote. Bear Down Coach Smith!