Jeff Smoker was one of the best football prospects in the country last year. He was rated the nation's No. 23 prospect by SuperPrep Magazine and was generally regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in the nation. Smoker, who attended Manheim Central High in Lancaster County, was the best quarterback prospect in Pennsylvania.
Smoker was recruited by most of the major schools, including Penn State, which is located about an hour's drive from Manheim. Nittany Lions Coach Joe Paterno wanted Smoker to make an early commitment to the Lions during the spring of his junior year. Smoker wanted to explore other opportunities before he made his decision.
So Penn State pursued other options and received commitments from two out-of-state quarterbacks. Smoker visited other schools, took his time and in late July decided to attend Michigan State in late July.
Little more than a year later, Smoker is the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week after leading the Spartans to a 30-10 upset of No. 9 Purdue last week. Saturday, Smoker will make his sixth start of the season when Michigan State visits Beaver Stadium.
"Penn State offered [a scholarship] to me in February and wanted me to commit early, but I wasn't ready," said Smoker, a 6-foot-4, 200-pounder. "I wanted to look around and find a place that was right for me. I just wanted to look at other schools and see where I fit in well. In February and March, I wasn't ready to do that."
Paterno had made the decision to recruit three quarterbacks. Smoker, Zac Wasserman from California and Zack Mills of Maryland. Paterno made it known to all three that would take the first two to commit because of the situation the year before with Chris Simms, a highly touted quarterback prospect who wavered on his decision and eventually chose Texas.
'We had gone through the young Chris Simms thing and thought we were going to get him and we had kind of just zeroed in on one guy," Paterno said. "When we couldn't get him and couldn't get a couple of other people because we were so late, I said we were going to identify three quarterbacks that we might have a chance to get who would be good for our program and make them offers. The first two that said they would come would be the ones we would take.
"Jeff and his mom came up on an unofficial visit. and we had lunch up in the Corner Room. We had a nice lunch and I told him what the situation was. He did not want to make an early commitment. I said, 'Jeff, I am in a situation where we have got to get two good quarterback prospects .' They didn't feel that they wanted to make that kind of a commitment, which I certainly appreciated and respected. The other two kids, Zack Mills and Zac Wasserman, did make commitments early so we ended up with the two we have, both of whom, I think, are very fine prospects. It will probably work out best for everybody. I think Jeff, obviously, had a great opportunity at Michigan State and has taken advantage of it. He has done an excellent job for them. I think the kids we have, when their turn comes, will do a good job."
Smoker said Tuesday night his decision might have been different had Penn State given him more time. Smoker grew up watching the Lions on television and estimated he attended six games at Beaver Stadium during his childhood.
"I might have [gone to Penn State]," Smoker said. "I don't know how it would have turned out. I was a little disappointed, yet I understand the recruiting game. You can't sit around and wait for people. I understand coaches have to go out and get players."
Penn State was the first school to begin the early recruitment process a few years ago. Players used to wait until at least the start of their senior seasons before committing.
"Personally, I don't like it," Smoker said of the process. "It seems like every year it starts earlier and earlier. I don't see how the players can get around to see all the schools they want to see. There's a lot of pressure that's on these kids, and colleges are asking kids to make decisions that may affect the rest of their lives."
Things have worked out for Smoker at Michigan State. Another new trend in college football is freshmen reporting to school in the summer and working out with players already in the program. Smoker said that helped him mature faster and has enabled him to play earlier than expected.
Incumbent Spartans starter Ryan Van Dyke started the first game against Marshall and was injured. Smoker started the next three games against Missouri, Notre Dame and Northwestern, beating the Tigers and Fighting Irish.
Van Dyke started the next four games before Spartans Coach Bobby Williams made the decision to go with Smoker three weeks ago against Ohio State.
Smoker is 90 for 172 for 1,182 yards and has thrown five touchdown passes and seven interceptions. Last week, in the upset of Purdue, he threw for 195 yards and a touchdown and ran for another.
Saturday, Smoker returns home with a winning season and bowl eligibility on the line. The Spartans are 5-5 and need a victory to qualify for a post-season game.
"Everyone I know is coming to the game," Smoker said. "It doesn't matter that we have to beat Penn State. We just want to win. We have to win the game no matter who we play against."
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