Smith family rooted in ‘Cats’ football success
Joseph Smith coaches sons Wyatt and Colton
“As we went out to start the
second half, I looked him in the eye and asked, ‘Can you do this?’ ” – Linfield
football coach Joseph Smith, on his decision to play his son, Wyatt, at
quarterback in 2017
By Rusty Rae, McMinnville N-R/News-Register
10/16/2020
‘Remembrance of Games Past’ series
By
the sixth week of the season, starting 11s are set, team routines established
and the ‘Cats are rolling toward another conference title.
However,
at the halfway point of the 1989 season, Linfield had lost its initial two
games. Head coach Ad Rutschman, forced to reconfigure his routine, promotes a
new defensive starter. During a key match-up against arch-rival Pacific
Lutheran, the ‘Cat head man calls upon Grants Pass freshman Joseph Smith against
the seventh ranked Lutes.
The
unranked ‘Cats must win out in order have a prayer at an NAIA playoff berth.
With
an injury to a veteran defensive back, Rutschman had little choice but to play
Smith – and his faith in the youngster was well rewarded. Linfield captured a
24-14 road victory at Sparks Field in Puyallup, Washington, propelling the
Wildcats into the first round of the playoffs.
“In
recruiting Joe, I found an intelligent individual with high character, a
determined work ethic and someone who was simply tough. While it’s often
difficult for a freshman to really make a contribution, Joe was more than up to
the challenge,” Rutschman said.
Smith,
Linfield’s current head coach, added, “PLU that year had a great QB in Craig
Kupp, who would go on to play in the NFL, so it was a pretty big challenge for
our defense.
“Fortunately,
I played most of the second half the previous week due to the injury – but as I
awaited the kickoff, I was certainly very nervous – there were butterflies
dancing in me – though once the game started it just became football.”
As
a senior in high school, Smith’s top three choices were Virginia Military
Institute, Azusa Pacific and Linfield. After talking to Rutschman, it was an
easy decision for him to select McMinnville.
“With
Linfield, I saw stability in the program and the coaches, a program that
focused on excellence, and I thought Coach Rutschman and the other coaches
would push me to become the best I could be,” he said.
Smith
started the next three years and, in his senior year, was voted to the first
team all-conference team and named a first team All-America by Football Gazette
Magazine and second team All-America by the NAIA.
Smith
said during his first two seasons at Linfield, the ‘Cats were a good team but
not great. He noted the ’91 roster, a senior-laden group he considered a good
team, lost in the second round of the playoffs to those dreaded Lutes, 23-0.
At
the end of that season, Rutschman stepped down as head coach and Ed Langsdorf
took over.
Recalled
Smith, “We had a strong offensive team returning, but the defense was going to
need to be retooled. I was the only junior on the defensive side of the ball
the previous season, but we also had a large senior class and we all pulled
together.
“We
were much more committed to being a team; to training correctly, to living
correctly, and to working out together; it was a group that was much more like
my teams today.
“The
senior class made that season. We shared a sense of urgency — it was us against
the world,” he remembered.
With
Langsdorf leading the way, the Wildcats sliced through the conference schedule
undefeated, knocked out wins in the playoffs to meet Findlay of Ohio in the
championship match, played at Portland Civic Stadium, where the bullies of the
Midwest topped the Wildcats, 26-13.
“They
were one of the most physically imposing teams I ever played against. They had
34 kids on full rides, allowed by the NAIA in those days. I just remember I
made too many tackles that day,” Smith noted.
The
Linfield head man says today that even if a freshman is sufficiently talented,
it’s difficult to grant him snaps because of a giant learning curve.
“It’s
a new language – for most none of the terminology is the same as from their
high school playing days. First-year players need enough reps so they can play
fast – play without thinking – just react and play football,” he added.
Joseph’s
two sons, Wyatt, a returning senior All-Conference QB, and Colton, a returning
sophomore wide receiver named Freshman of the Year for the conference, both
have undergone their initial seasoning.
In
a bit of football déjà vu, Wyatt was called into action his freshman year
against PLU on the same field where his father, Joseph, had his first start. In
a contest in which the Wildcats’ offense was stymied by the Lutes and the team
faced a 10-7 deficit at the half, Smith the coach placed his faith in Smith the
quarterback.
“As
we went out to start the second half, I looked him in the eye and asked ‘Can
you do this?’” Joseph Smith recalled.
He
received a curt “Yeah” from Wyatt, and it worked out for the best as the ‘Cats
captured a 16-10 OT victory.
Wyatt
didn’t do anything particularly spectacular, but managed the offense well
enough to earn the win. He started the rest of the year as Linfield played its
best game of the season behind the freshman QB in the first round of the DIII
championship tournament, topping fifth-ranked Hardin-Simmons 27-13 before falling
to Mary Hardin-Baylor in the second round. The Crusaders would go on to finish
in the runner-up position in the 2017 tournament.
Last
year, Wyatt torched Northwest Conference defenses as a junior signal caller,
recording single season passing records only behind ‘Cat QB and current coach
and co-offensive coordinator Brett Elliott, and setting the high mark for most
TD passes in a game, eight against UPS.
Brother
Colton, a freshman last season, the speedster wide receiver, didn’t start until
the eighth game, a road contest against Whitworth.
“We
had three senior receivers who were each experienced and who really understood
the offense so I didn’t start (Colton) until Tyler Torgeson was hurt,” noted
Smith.
“At
first it was a bit stressful, not really knowing the system. But it was great
having a bunch of older guys to lead the way. It really helped me to develop
and actually take the biggest step — absorbing the nuances of the offense so I
could play freely,” Colton recalled.
In
his first start against Whitworth for the conference championship, Colton, much
like his father, said, “I was big-time nervous. It was pressure I made for
myself — not wanting to let the team down — and not wanting to let the head
coach down.”
But
once the game began, it was again just football for the Smith family. Colton
shed his butterflies, caught a 12-yard scoring pass from brother Wyatt on the
first series and again in the overtime frame, snatched the winning score on a
two-yarder, making the overtime victory that much sweeter for him and his kin.
First
starts are always memorable, and for the Smiths, Joseph, Wyatt, and Colton,
they are the epitome of a football family.
