Transfer Rumor

[NDT]

A friend of mine, who is a big fan of football at the historically black colleges, told me a few weeks ago that one of our players would be transfering at the end of the season. He said he had received this information from an insider newsletter that covers the traditionally black schools. At the time I thought he might be kidding since he mentioned it as an aside as he was leaving. Then I remembered that not long before the conversation the player was mentioned in a newspaper article regarding a disturbance call. I saw my friend again today, he was contacting me to see if I could tape the Bayou Classic since he would be out of town, and he insisted that his information was credible and that it would be announced shortly after the NO Bowl. I was surprised when Casey Printers transferred to FAMU so maybe he is right. Has anyone else heard that Doug Williams and his 1AA Grambling Tigers will have the services of Andrew Smith next year?

[tommy03]

I could be very true. He is a great talent that is not going to see time till two years from now or possibly none if this Bylery kid is what he is said to be. If I was him, I would just want to play and if Grambling is offering a chance I would jump on it. I wish him luck!

[meangreenboy]

Good luck Andrew...

[SouthBendGreen]

i knew this would happen. I'm not surprised if it is true

[KingDL1]

It makes me pretty nervous but I guess that is selfish, if he goes I wish the best of luck.

[GreenBat]

I hope it is not true, because Andrew is a great kid. But if it is, "Don't let the door knob hit ya, where the good lord split ya."

[THOR]

How great is it that we are talking and concerned about a North Texas football player transferring to another college? This probably wouldn't have happened years ago. I guess the world is starting to recognize the Mean Green!! Good Luck if it's true

[IronMan4]

I really hope this is just a rumor. Andrew has shown more heart than he gets credit for, and led our team to a bowl win for the first time in a couple years.

Hopefully this is just a rumor like the Scott Hall transfer rumor last year.

[JayDub]

I would hate it if that rumor was true...but then again, I wouldn't blame him. I really hope he stays, though.

[emmitt01]

It wouldn't surprise me at all. As has been said before, players do read this board. What must Drew have thought early in the year if he read this board? How could you not have an adverse reaction to comments like "Drew is a good athlete but Scott is the true leader of this team" or "Drew didn't prove anything last year. It was all the running game and defense." Not saying this definitely has something to do with it, but it couldn't help.

[DeepGreen]

Well I certainly hate to see ANY player leave the North Texas program or the University. I hope this is just a rumour.

[SouthBendGreen]

Emmitt you are right about that. Despite what he has done there have been a lot of negative things said about him here. But I would hope that isn't the basis for his decision. He now realizes that he won't see the field again until he is a senior unless there is an injury and doesn't like it. I don't blame him. Adverse situation last year and he rises up to lead us to a bowl win and he is given the bench. I hope he doesn't leave, I have been one of his VERY few apologists on this board. But whatever happens, I wish him the best.

[North Texas]

I thought BC meant Boston College. Whatever works best for him as an athlete/scholar, not necessarily UNT.

[IronMan4]

The negative things said about him on here discouraged me, and I don't even know him! Not only that, but by being one of the few who didn't bash him, I was somehow labled "anti-Hall" and got the correlating not so friendly emails. Andrew has done nothing but good for our University and doesn't get the recognition for it he deserves.

I want Andrew to stay, but if he has his reasons, I understand.

Like I said earlier, seems we were hearing the same stuff about Scott Hall last year, so hopefully this turns out much the same.

[VideoEagle]

I'd heard the rumor as well. Possibly from the same source.

[fullgreenjacket]

It wouldn't surprise me at all.  As has been said before, players do read this board.  What must Drew have thought early in the year if he read this board?  How could you not have an adverse reaction to comments like "Drew  is a good athlete but Scott is the true leader of this team" or "Drew didn't prove anything last year.  It was all the running game and defense."  Not saying this definitely has something to do with it, but it couldn't help.

Well I would have to say that if this is true it damn sure shouldn't be about what a bunch of has beens or never have beens, have to say about him on this board. Hopefully the kid just wants to compete and sees the hand writing on the wall. He will have to sit another year barring injury to get the opportunity to start. And don't give me the crap about not getting a chance...he started the first 4 games of the season! Everyone has to admit that when Hall took over the offense took off. Andrew is a fine young man and a fine QB but if he feels like his best opportunity to play would be for someone else so be it. Good luck and best wishes but the program will survive!

[Guest e-bone]

Scott definitely took advantage of going the whole game against Lafayette and has never looked back, but Andrew never got a chance to play against the Sun Belt so that can't be held against him. If Andrew gets the opportunity to go somewhere to play where he will be appreciated, then I look forward to following his career and I wish him luck.

[Monkeypox]

It'll be a shame to see Smith go, because an experienced backup is an important thing to have.

That said, I'm one of the "bashers" who has never been terribly impressed with Smith as a starter. It's probably wise for him to go to a school that would give him a better opportunity to start.

IF players, and particularly QBs, have a problem with criticism, especially on a message board, then perhaps they need to consider another vocation. IF fan criticism upsets you, you better get ready for the NFL, kids. Imagine an entire city on your back. That's life. Persevere or fold. Prove your critics wrong. I got no problem with that.

[stebo]

The whole arguement that a message board would effect a player is bogus (sorry Emmitt)... there are message boards for every div IA and dic IAA school in the nation and there are fans that talk about the games and the best chance of winning. If we didn't have an active message board than I would be worried about North Texas, if it was censored than I would be worried about the board. AS was given every opportunity to keep the job. Fact is, he is the 2nd best QB out there. The numbers prove that and there is nothing he can do about it. Just because someone wants there team to use the best player for the position does not make him a bad or good fan, just a fan. I hope AS does not have grandeur illusions about life at Grambling. When/If he gets there he will have to prove himself all over again and then he wil have to beat out the "Scott Hall" of that school. At least at NT he has achance to start his senot year, at Grambling he likely to never see the field again. Stupid mistake if he makes it.

[rcade]

Well I would have to say that if this is true it damn sure shouldn't be about what a bunch of has beens or never have beens, have to say about him on this board.

Athletes transfer all the time when they lose their starting position. If Andrew Smith was leaving, which I hope is not true, it seems silly to place any of the blame on fans posting messages here.

Besides, if any player on North Texas was so delicate he could be driven away from the school because of a message board, would you really want that guy leading your team?

[MeanGreenNation]

WHY? would you leave 1A to go down to 2A?? Maybe for playing time, but Andrew has that coming. It doesnt make sense to me. I as well hope this is untrue.

[HoustonEagle]

Well seeing that, at this point, it is a unsubstantiated rumor, maybe we should hold off on bashing the kid. If I was coming from a neutral football perspective I would think it would be a good decision on his part. Academically? Well I don't know.

[rcade]

WHY? would you leave 1A to go down to 2A?? Maybe for playing time, but Andrew has that coming. It doesnt make sense to me. I as well hope this is untrue.

If I recall correctly, an athlete can transfer to I-AA and play immediately instead of being forced to sit out an entire year.

[shaneb]

No one is bashing anyone in this thread. We are just talking about football, football players, and their football-related choices. Bashing is a personal attack. People here have said that they think the transfer is good, bad, or good for AS and bad for us. No one has attacked anyone personally.

Bashing would be if I mentioned Jaydub's Mom.

That being said..... Andrew will have a much harder time getting game time against Grambling's FatSomaBtch of a quarterback Bruce Eugene than he would against Scott.

Scott is prone to injury (love him, but its true) and Bruce (at 6-1, 240lbs) probably couldn't injure himself using a brick wall (although he tries).

On top of that, Eugene is the class of his league. Here is a short clip from a press release when he was named SWAC player of the year last year.

"Bruce Eugene is asophomore quarterback from New Orleans, LA. He leads the nation (NCAA, I-AA) in Total Offense with 4,159 yds (378.1 ypg) and Points Responsible For, 280 (25.45 gm). He has passed for 3,717 yds. (tops in NCAA I-AA) with 37 TDs and rushed for another 442 yds with nine TDs. He recently set a new Grambling State single-season passing record held by his coach Doug Williams. Eugene is a candidate for the Walter Payton Award, indicative of the best offensive player in NCAA I-AA football."

Smith is a great player and surely there is a big gap between D1a and D1aa, but does it look like this kid is going anywhere?

If he does transfer I look forward to shooting his photo when Grambling plays in Independence Stadium.

Seeya,

Shane

[UNTLifer]

If Andrew gets the opportunity to go somewhere to play where he will be appreciated....

Sorry, but this comment struck me wrong. Andrew was nothing but appreciated for the job he did last year after Hall got injured. Stating that is was not appreciated is wrong. I thought of many words stronger than "wrong" but didn't want my post to be deleted.