Michael Smith Still Amped Up
August 13th, 2012
It has now been three days since Bucs scatback Michael Smith gave fans a glimpse of what he can do on the football field.
The seventh round draft pick out of Utah State had two sparkling returns Friday in the preseason debut with a 34-yard kick return and a 74-yard return.
Not shabby for the first time in an NFL uniform.
Smith could hardly contain his excitement speaking after practice Monday.
“I was excited,” Smith said. “I was blessed to be able to put the pads on. I was excited, nervous at first. I had butterflies. I expected goosebumps. I’m still excited. I just have to keep working hard every day to show them I want to be here.”
Some believe Smith could be the Bucs version of New Orleans’ Darren Sproles, who comes off the bench to provide a spark in the rushing attack while also returning kicks.
Smith isn’t sure where the Bucs will use him specifically. There’s this little obstacle of making the team first, he pointed out. With a repeat performance of Friday, Smith could virtually lock up a roster spot.
“I will do running back; I will do special teams,” Smith said. “I am just working hard to show my speed, strength and effort that I want to be here.”
The 74-yard return on a punt was electric. Smith broke three tackles though was caught from behind as he was about to take it to the house.
That may not happen again, Smith remarked.
“I thought I was gone but you have to keep running hard. Next time I will run harder.”
August 13th, 2012 at 3:01 pm
His return skills alone should guarantee him a roster spot.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Man I tell you what, this kid got North-South in a hurry and if the guy that chased him down wasnt already at full speed after Mike brike a tackle it would have been curtains. If he does anything remotely close to that he would not only be a lock but demand a small portion of the playbook to utilize him. Ugh this man is dangerous!!!
August 13th, 2012 at 3:29 pm
I wouldn’t call him a scat back. He showed tremendous strength on his runs and looks capable of running on all three downs. Plus he’s a LOT bigger and thicker than Sproles so there’s really no comparison. I thought he attacked the line of scrimmage with authority when compared to the weak display put on by Madu. I don’t see any way he doesn’t make this team.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:32 pm
Even though the video says punt return, I swear that was a kick-off return. Why else would he have fielded the punt in the endzone?
August 13th, 2012 at 3:38 pm
It was a kick off. The TV announcer said that he was caught from behind because of tired legs. Those darn 110×16 sprints strike again.
I hope they recover before the Carolina game.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:39 pm
He caught the ball 5 yards deep and was past the 30 in about 3 seconds.
Even in the picture, high and tight.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Yeah, right before he was tackled you can see him slowing down a little bit. Pretty sure his legs were tired.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:53 pm
He thought he was gone? I thought he looked gassed.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:58 pm
It was probably the 3rd string line, but he was getting crushed in the running game……I was not impressed, but he did not get any running room or break any tackles if i recall. He did look strong on the kick return though!
August 13th, 2012 at 4:13 pm
“I thought I was gone but you have to keep running hard. Next time I will run harder.” I believe him.
Put him behind the starting oline and then we’ll talk about his rushing skills. There were no holes for him. I have a good feeling about this kid.
August 13th, 2012 at 4:38 pm
I re-watched the game for the 3rd time at 1pm on NFL Network today an the guy who ran Smith down was CB Marcus Brown. While Smith runs a 4.36/40, Brown has run a 4.35/40. Smith is muscular at 5-9 and Brown is angular at 6-1.
Remember, almost everybody is ahead of Usain Bolt at the 40, but you know the rest. Maybe we should ask what does Smith run for 100yds, the length of a football field because he got caught after 74yds.
August 13th, 2012 at 4:50 pm
all the people saying he got caught from behind and may not be as fast as we think are retarded, u do know he had to shake off tacklers and make a couple moves, the guy who chased him had a full steam and angle….get serious people
August 13th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
Who cares that he got caught from behind? Dude busted a 34 yards return and a 74 yard return, i’ll take that every game whether he takes it all the way to the house or not.
August 13th, 2012 at 5:50 pm
You can’t run at full speed while juking and throwing off a would be horse collar tackle. Keep it up Mr. Smith.
August 13th, 2012 at 7:41 pm
Yeah Miguel Grande, they haven’t recovered from their conditioning test of 3 weeks ago! In fact, they may never recover. Everytime we get run down from behind or lose a game, it is a direct result of his conditioning test. If only Schiano had the knowledge of a pot head like you to tell him how to condition his team, we would be in so much better shape. Sometimes I don’t know whether you are serious, or just seriously stupid.
August 13th, 2012 at 8:52 pm
Hawaiian, what are you talking about dude? To say they haven’t recovered from conditioning all because Smith was tackled after running through and by tackles for 74 yards, and you have the audacity to not only say HE is not in condition, but to say the whole team is not in condition based on one play, seriously? Your comment “Everytime we get run down from behind or lose a game, it is a direct result of his conditioning test.” You must be sniffing glue if this is your “football logic”, I normally don’t make many comments, but this didn’t make any sense to me, and then you add “If only Schiano had the knowledge of a pot head like you to tell him how to condition his team, we would be in so much better shape. Sometimes I don’t know whether you are serious, or just seriously stupid.” If you think (whoever your talking about) is that stupid based on your brilliant claim, then I really think you live in a world all on your own pal. Go BUCS!
August 13th, 2012 at 9:08 pm
I think that was sarcasm, directed at sneedy and Miguel, Bucfever.
August 13th, 2012 at 9:26 pm
I think Bucfever is being sarcastic.
August 13th, 2012 at 11:01 pm
I hope Bucfever is being sarcastic.
August 13th, 2012 at 11:02 pm
Apparently I wasn’t laying the sarcasm on thick enough. I’ll have to work on that for the next time.
August 14th, 2012 at 12:38 am
hey hawaiian,
please don’t insult potheads by lumping miguel pequeno’s idiocy in with them.
August 14th, 2012 at 12:39 am
ps i totally understood the sarcasm
August 14th, 2012 at 12:40 am
You’re right Lurker, my bad!
August 14th, 2012 at 12:57 am
Man! It suuuuure smells like SARCASM in here 😉
August 14th, 2012 at 1:12 am
@Bucfever40: If you knew ANYTHING about Hawaiian Buc, it would have been readily apparent that he was being thoroughly and utterly sarcastic, but it SHOULD have been just as apparent even if you didn’t know him, if you would have simply read all of the posts, and who they’re directed to.
Miguel Grande posted more of the drivel that he’s known for, and just 10 posts later, Hawaiian Buc begins his post with: “Yeah Miguel Grande…”
Dude, I appreciate that you wanted to bash anyone who would be stupid enough to make such a claim, but your method was flawed from the beginning. In future endeavors, seek out ALL possible information before taking such an extreme stance on something. You admitted that you didn’t know who Hawaiian Buc was addressing, yet you still screamed from the mountaintop. Ouch.
August 14th, 2012 at 1:23 am
i think bucfevers post is hilarious in this context. it is classic sticking one’s foot in one’s mouth. and now it is part of the interwebs for posterity.
August 14th, 2012 at 3:44 am
I believe that was the finest meltdown I’ve read on these pages. A valiant, Quixotic paroxysm. Part Colonel Klink, part Dan Quayle.
August 14th, 2012 at 10:15 am
How long do you think BucFever will avoid commenting after that foot-in-mouth-esq moment? I guess we’ll have to put sarcasim in parenthesis now after its use (sarcasim).