Best of the 2000's Counting Down the Mountain West 2000's Decade Greatest Players: #1 Alex Smith QB Utah

by Jeremy Mauss on Jan 7, 2010 3:00 AM PST in Best of the 2000's

The countdown of the top 10 list of players of the decade started out with the honorable mention list and now we are moving to the best player of the past decade.

#1 Alex Smith QB Utah (2002-2004)

All-MWC Second Team (2003)
All-MWC First Team (2004)
MWC Offensive player of the year (2004)
Heisman Finalist (2004)
Fiesta Bowl MVP (2005)
First overall draft pick (2005)

As a starter Alex Smith went 21-1 with the loan loss to New Mexico in 2003 and immediately after the game Urban Meyer said that would never happen again at Utah. He was right as the Utes went 12-0 the following year with a Fiesta Bowl win over Pitt. Alex Smith shredded all comers in his two years and ran the spread option perfectly and was part of a revolution in college football.

In his senior year Smith passed for just under 3,000 yards, 32 TD's, 4 picks, and then rushed for 631 yards with 10 scores. Smith made it all looked way too easy especially when running the ball as Smith was not the fastest runner with a modest 4.7 speed. His stats could have been even better had the Utes not dominate their games and subbing in backup Brian Johnson early in the fourth quarter on multiple occasions.

Starting tomorrow the top 10 greatest teams in Mountain West history.

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i just hope the 49 er's

start him next year. they ended 8-8. if they could get one more ol and one more wr they could have a great offense. he needs to help the 49 er’s make the playoffs. i want to see him do well.

i'm all about covering the spread and moneylines. i was building a house, i don't deserve this, deserves have nothing to do with it. bang. "unforgiven"

by wolfmanshowlforever on Jan 7, 2010 12:09 PM PST reply actions

Unbelievable career

I wish he would have stayed for his Senior year

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by Michael Rueckert on Jan 7, 2010 12:36 PM PST reply actions

Ryan Leaf, Brian Bosworth, JeMarcus Russell, Alex S....

He’s almost in the same class as each of these guys. A product of the system who’s prototypical QB size and stats make him very appealing. Unfortunately talent is not a factor you can give a stat to.

BYU went thru it to with Ben Olsen.

by vaughnzipper on Jan 7, 2010 5:56 PM PST reply actions

I think he is slightly ahead of those guys

Just because he is now back at the starter and maybe he will get to keep the same offensive coordinator for more then one year. When Norv Turner was there Alex was actually looking decent, but with the turnover on the system and staff did not help. Going back to the draft Smith is obviously not worthy of his draft status from how he has performed.

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by Jeremy Mauss on Jan 9, 2010 9:15 AM PST up reply actions