FAU quarterback Rusty Smith talks with FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger and quarterback coach Jeff Brohm at practice on Tuesday after learning that a sprained non-throwing shoulder has ended his college career. (FAUOwlAccess.com photo)
END OF AN ERA
FAU quarterback Rusty Smith’s college career is over after he injured his non-throwing shoulder Saturday vs. Middle Tennessee
Originally published on
11/3/2009
by
Marcus Nelson
> Video: Smith discusses his career-ending injury. Part I
> Video: Smith discusses his career-ending injury. Part II
BOCA RATON – Two doctors told FAU senior quarterback Rusty Smith the same thing and he had an idea it was coming.
That still didn’t help much when Smith was told Tuesday his college career will come to a premature end after he was driven to the grass by Middle Tennessee linebacker Danny Carmichael on a play that sprained Smith’s left (non-throwing) shoulder on Saturday.
“I can pretty much tell by the pain I am in whether it was serious or not,” Smith said Tuesday after watching the Owls practice in street clothes and his arm in a sling. “I didn’t expect I was going to play anytime soon, but not to be able to finish my career was a little bit of a shock.”
Smith saw a doctor Monday and a second one on Tuesday. One doctor said it was a Grade 3 sprain and one said it was a Grade 5 sprain of the AC joint in Smith’s left shoulder. One doctor recommended he have surgery, but Smith said he has not made a decision if he will have the procedure.
“It’s really up to me to decide if I want to have surgery or not,” Smith said. “That’s a decision me and my family will have to make. If we decide to go ahead and have it, it’s scheduled for Friday morning….In any of the scenarios I should be ready for the combine my workouts or tryouts or anything like that.”
Smith, who is considered a pro prospect, would consider having the surgery to prepare him for the NFL combine in February.
Smith, who has started the last 36 games for FAU, owns virtually every passing record at FAU and has thrown for 10,112 yards in his career and 76 touchdowns. Smith completed 768 passes on 1,361 attempts and had 36 interceptions.
Smith signed with FAU in 2005 out of Jacksonville’s Sandalwood High School and was involved with Sean Clayton and McKinson Souverain in a 3-way battle to replace Danny Embick in the spring 2006, but no clear winner emerged. The competition resumed in August but it was a two-man race after Souverain decided to transfer.
Smith won the job narrowly over Clayton. His reward? Starting the 2006 Owls’ season-opener at Clemson as a redshirt freshman. Smith was unimpressive and Clayton started the next week and remained the starter until he was hurt in FAU’s 35-14 loss at Middle Tennessee in the ninth game of the season
Smith has started every game since then and has re-written the Owls’ passing record book.
As a sophomore in 2007 Smith threw for a school-record 3,688 yards and 32 touchdowns (both school and Sun Belt records) and led the Owls to an 8-5 record, a Sun Belt Conference Championship and a victory over Memphis in the New Orleans Bowl, where he tied his own school record by throwing five touchdown passes and was the game’s MVP. Smith was selected as the Player of the Year in the Sun Belt Conference that season
Smith threw for a school-record 463 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-39 victory over Minnesota that season, the only time FAU has defeated a team from a BCS Conference.
In 2008, Smith also hurt his shoulder in the season-opening game at Texas and got off to a slow start, including a four-interception performance in FAU’s 37-3 loss at Minnesota, but finished with 3,224 yards and 24 touchdowns. Smith led the Owls to the Motor City Bowl, where he threw for 306 yards as he outdueled Central Michigan’s Dan LeFevour as FAU defeated the Chippewas 24-21.
In his last college game Saturday against Middle Tennessee Smith surpassed 10,000 passing yards in his career.
Smith is the Sun Belt’s top career passer in yardage and touchdowns and also hold the conference record for yards in a season and touchdowns thrown, both set in 2007.
“I would go ahead and say my five years here were a success ,” Smith said. “There were some low points, but nobody’s perfect.”
FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger, fearing Smith would be out, said on Monday that junior Jeff Van Camp would be starting against UAB.
PracticeBrowser: A look at Tuesday’s practice
Making plays: Safety Ed Alexander is showing improvement and may yet turn into the type of ball-hawk the Owls are looking for back in the secondary.
Stepping up: Redshirt freshman David Kooi becomes the Owls’ back-up quarterback behind Jeff Van Camp and got plenty of snaps in with the second-team.
Instant message: “I have a really good peace of mind about it because I know that God has plans for everything and everything in life happens for a reason.
- FAU quarterback Rusty Smith
Worth a Re-Tweet: It's looking like David Kooi will be the 2nd string QB. Taking more snaps than Graham Wilbert
- Tweet sent during practice Tuesday. Follow us @FAUOwlAccess