football recruit

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VERSATILE LEADER: On and off the field, Brad Smith excels at Belgrade High

By Dan Chesnet • Sports Editor

He’s yet to throw a pass or kick the ball, but don’t be surprised if Brad Smith lines up at quarterback or kicker at some point.

And why not? He’s done just about everything else this season for the Belgrade High School football team.

“I don’t know about quarterback because he throws kind of like a girl. He’s more suited for girls softball,” seventh-year Belgrade coach Matt Hollowell said.

But all joking aside, Hollowell knows he has a real talent on his hands. Smith can play a variety of positions offensively, and can take over a game defensively at defensive end.

That’s what makes the 6-foot-5, 200-pound Smith so attractive to college coaches. It’s also why he’ll have his pick at a handful of Division I schools.

“He’s by far one of the best football players that I’ve ever coached as far as true football players go,” said Hollowell. “He’s got a great attitude for the game. He’s obviously very, very athletic and his mental preparation for the game is outstanding.” Smith’s athletic ability is being utilized to its fullest potential this season. Not only is he the team’s starting tight end, but over the past two games Smith has seen action at fullback to provide an extra kick to Belgrade’s Wing-T rushing attack.

While some players might have complained about having to take on an extra roll in the offense, Smith saw it as a new challenge.

“It’s fun just to try some new stuff, and whatever they put me at I’ll try my best at,” said Smith. “It’s kind of fun to mix it up and be able to play different positions, different games, just wherever they need me. It’s pretty fun.”

But it hasn’t been fun for opposing players. Fergus quarterback Evan Stokken was sacked four times last week by Smith, and the Eagle defense consistently bit on fakes to Smith on option plays that led to big runs for the Panthers.

He also caught three balls at tight end and wide receiver for 41 yards and a touchdown. It almost wasn’t fair to the Eagles, who attempted to guard Smith in the secondary with much smaller safeties and corners.

Smith’s frame and speed are a challenge for any high school secondary in the state, and is one of the many reasons he’s being highly recruited by Division I coaches.

“They’re (college coaches) looking to put 40, 50, 60 pounds on him and if he can maintain his speed – which he will – he’s just a great, great college prospect,” said Hollowell.

Both Montana State University and the University of Montana have been actively recruiting Smith as well as the University of Wyoming. But Smith said he won’t make any decisions until after Belgrade’s season is complete.

“I want to go D-1. I haven’t really thought much about my actual decision on where I want to go, but I’d like to go to the Griz or the Cats,” said Smith. “But I haven’t really been thinking about it much lately, I’ve really been focused on the season.”

Off the field, Smith has been described as equally intense by his coaches and a great role model by community members.

Last month, Smith visited Dori Elliott’s fourth grade class at Belgrade Intermediate School and spoke with the kids for more than an hour. Elliott said Smith was “huge” to her students and that he now has some extra “little fans”.

“I think it was nice community thing for Brad to do, and the kids loved it,” said Elliott, who taught Brad in sixth grade and now teaches his youngest sister, Shawna, this year.

Smith said he enjoyed the experience as well after answering tough questions such as, “Do you have to duck to get through doorways?” and “Why don’t you play quarterback?”

“It was fun to just have them look up to you and see how they act around you. It was kind of fun,” said Smith.

Smith currently has a 3.45 GPA at Belgrade High, and Hollowell added this: “Great kid. He’s intense all the time. During the season he’s a little bit mean some times. He keeps that going throughout the season, but after the season he’s a normal kid.”

Like most Montanans, Smith enjoys hunting and fishing and hanging out with friends. And friendship, Smith noted, of one of the main things that distinguishes this year’s tight-knit squad from past teams.

“We all hang a lot and we all get along pretty good and we all love to play football,” he said.

That comradery has translated to success on the field for the Panthers, who are once again one of the top teams in the Central A Conference. Belgrade currently has a 3-2 record (1-1 in conference play) and is battling for its sixth straight postseason berth.

Smith is also a standout hurdler for the Belgrade track and field team, placing second at state in the 300 hurdles last spring. He also plans on trying out for basketball this winter after a two year hiatus.

Smith is the son of Steve and Tina Smith, and has four sisters Kelly, 21, Jennifer, 19, Corie, 14, and Shawna, 9.