Getty ImagesThanks to an unexpected donut hole in the weekend schedule, I attended Saturday’s open-air Arena Football League game between West Virginia and Baylor. And while the goal is to confine the conversation to pro football (and not to justify a write-off for the tickets to the game), two guys look to be headed for big things at the next level.
Geno Smith looks and plays the part of a big-time quarterback, possessing the passing and running skills that have revolutionized NFL offenses. For the day, he completed 88 percent of his passes; for the season, he’s at 83.4 percent.
Also for the season, Smith has 20 touchdown passes (he had eight on Saturday) and zero interceptions.
Florio Jr. and I spent the second half of the game on the sideline soaking in the nuances of the game, and Smith already has a Cam Newton-style aura. (Last year, not this year.) Physically imposing, vocal, and above all else highly talented, Smith seems destined to be next year’s next big thing.
But Smith may not have been the best player on the field. Williams, the Baylor receiver, could end up being next year’s Justin Blackmon. Though listed at only 6-2, Williams looks like he’s bigger than that — and runs like he’s a lot smaller. Always open (Baylor should have just thrown it to him on every play), Williams had 16 catches for 314 yards in the pinball-machine game that was headed at one point for a multiple-overtime, triple-digit final score.
Yes, the display was fueled in large part by defenses that looked dreadful at times. (Or, as the case may be, most of the time.) But Smith and Williams stood out among the many impressive weapons that were on display. As soon as next year, they could be standing out at the next level.
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Both did look good; however, as you stated the defenses were dreadful and that will make a difference.
Cleveland’s new owner must be drooling….
Who is Gene Smith? GENO Smith, however, has thrown for 20 TD’s.
Geno had 12 TDs BEFORE Baylor. Now he has 20 TDs and 0 INTs. Redskins should have waited a years before mortgaging their future,
i went to uconn (horrible football team, i know) and i’ve been watching smith for a few years.. it’s nice to have seen him develop, but this game was an aberration. this was more of an atrocious defensive display by both sides…
Forget the 88%…45/51! I don’t care how bad the D was or how good your receivers were, he was on target 45/51 tosses! THAT is accuracy! Nothing new for this kid…he’s going to make an NFL team very happy if he can read pro defenses like that.
You mean he has 20 touchdowns, including 8 on Saturday.
Geno is way better than Matt Barkely. The guy is very smart and doesn’t turn the ball over. He has the athletic presence of Newton but is much more intelligent.
Good for Smith and it was impressive indeed but any team that allows 63 points to the 25th ranked team in the country certainly is NOT a top ten team. Heck the Dukes of JMU played better D than that and they aren’t even in the top division.
I couldn’t even do what Smith did in a video game. What an amazing performance.
Geno Smith is a cross between Randall Cunningham & Tom Brady. (No i’m not saying he’s Tom Brady) … He has the ability to scramble like Randall & moves around in the pocket like Brady.
Very explosive.
Williams would look great in a Texans uniform!
As the one college game i watched and will watch this year, im kinda glad you brought this up. Smith had GREAT touch on the deep ball. That was the craziest thing. It was like he went long an awful lot and he still had more TDs than INCs.
You and Gantt need to have a weekly Mountaineer post.
Lets have Darin take a shot with his Mountaineers next time though.
How about the freshman wideout Sean Price. The 6’5 phenom has all the makings of the next great wide receiver to come out of 1-aa.
when you play for Dana Holgorsen you are going to put up stats….he is the same guy who made Case Keenum a star. Geno Smith is good, but be careful…
In a game where Geno threw the ball 51 times, he had more touchdowns than incompletions, incredible! Way to represent Broward County, bring that Heisman trophy home baby!!
Sure….just like Pat White….UGH!!!!
It appears WVA and Baylor got confused and thought they were playing a basketball game – what with putting up a basketball score and neither team bothering to play any defense at all.
Big 12 defenses=QBs with bloated stats. How many of these guys need to be busts before that becomes obvious? Yes, this is WVU’s first year in the Big 12, but the point holds.