Smith leads by example on and off the field

Lee Smith enters his final season at Marshall University with several accolades for his success with the Thundering Herd — team captain, preseason All-Conference USA selection and one of 32 tight ends on the 2010 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List. Despite the recognition for his athletic accomplishments, the senior tight end has higher regard for his roles off the field.

The 6-foot-6 native of Powell, Tenn., who finished the 2009-10 academic year with a 3.2 GPA to receive the 2010 Cam Henderson Scholarship is also a husband and father. While he is a passionate football player, the inspiration his wife Alisha and children Brody and Amanda give him to work hard in all aspects compare to nothing else in his life.

  "They're No. 1," Smith said. "It's not even close. To come home and see them at night, to know that the more successful I am, the more I'll be able to take care of them. My wife's awesome. I just get to come home and be Dad. She makes it easy on me."

Smith also provides inspiration to others. His teammates voted him captain for the second consecutive year, an honor he calls "very humbling." Although he is in a leadership position, he remembers being where his younger teammates are now.

"Everything they go through, I've already been there and done that," Smith said. "I enjoy helping them. It's a long road. The bottom line is they just need to have fun."

Being selected as one of four team captains is well-deserved for an athlete who has been a constant role model throughout his collegiate career, said Marshall tight ends coach Phil Ratliff.

"He's a coach on the field," Ratliff said. "He keeps all the tight ends and actually the entire offense in check. Lee's a good example for all our young guys to look up to and for them to see what they need to do to make that next step."

Smith has taken a step in a new direction for 2010. After spending previous seasons blocking for his best friend and Mackey Award Semi-Finalist Cody Slate, he will be in the passing game more this year. He caught 23 catches for 335 yards in 2009 when Slate's season ended with an ACL injury. A year later, high expectations surround Smith upon the departure of Slate, who is now with the Kansas City Chiefs, and he reiterated that they are two different athletes.

"Cody's a great player," Smith said. "He caught almost 200 balls. Am I Cody Slate? No, I'm Lee Smith. My role has just changed. I just have an opportunity to make more plays for my team."

The 2010 season begins today at Ohio State and Smith has been content enjoying his final year with the Thundering Herd.

He is already thinking about the future, however, and has a few additional things he aspires to accomplish before concluding his career in a Marshall uniform.

But one dream that doesn't allude him is progressing to the next level.

"If you don't shoot for the stars, you'll never reach them," he said. "As a team goal, I want to be in Memphis [at the Liberty Bowl]. I think every individual goal at this level should be to play in the NFL. If I could paint a fairy tale, I'm playing in a conference championship and then playing on Sundays in the future."

Smith has already attracted the attention of NFL scouts. He is a likely prospect for professional football because he is such a well-rounded athlete, Ratliff said.

"Without a doubt, I believe he's going to be an impact player in the NFL if God keeps him healthy," he said. "He's one of those old school tight ends that are hard to find. He's got great hands. He's faster on the field than you think he is. From everything I'm hearing from scouts, they're just hard to find like Lee Smith."

   Regardless of where Smith's career takes him, the connections he has made at Marshall will endure. Seeing his growth as an athlete and person to where he is now has been a satisfying experience for Ratliff.

   "You'll have a lot of friends in life but Lee will be one of those dear people that you truly can call a best friend," he said. "He's matured so much as a person. When he gets done playing for me here in four or five months, he'll be one of my best friends. I have that much respect for him."

Marlowe Hereford can be contacted at hereford4@marshall.edu.