Brotherly love evident at Bay City football camp

[Harry]

Smith credits much of the football success he's enjoyed to his older brother.

Andrew Smith Jr. started at quarterback at Bay City and threw for 2,281 yards and 23 touchdowns while leading the Blackcats to the 2000 Class 4A, Division I state championship as a senior.

He went to North Texas where, as a redshirt freshman, he threw for 1,206 yards and led the Mean Green to a 24-19 win over Cincinnati in the 2002 New Orleans Bowl.

He became the first quarterback in school history to go undefeated in conference, win a conference championship, and a bowl game in the same season.

Smith died in a car wreck on his way back to North Texas for fall practice in August of 2004.

"He was my older brother so of course he was my mentor," Smith said. "I'm very proud of my brother and try to be like him in everything I do. There are a lot of ways from my work ethic and my attitude. He told me to do your best, give your best and your best will come up. That had a lasting impact on me."

Smith enjoys the chance to carry on his brother's legacy with campers and help out the Andrew Smith Jr. Foundation, which uses proceeds from the camp to fund scholarships.

"I get to teach some valuable skills of football," he said. "I look forward to working with the older kids and teaching them things I learned on the college level. We go over every aspect of football. Not only mentally, but even physically."

Mike Forman is a sports writer for the Victoria Advocate. Contact him at 361-580-6588 or mforman@vicad.com, or comment on this column at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.

Read more: http://www.mywesttexas.com/sports/article_8bb5258b-26e0-50e8-bf1f-4ea3c3e8fd34.html

[PlummMeanGreen]

Still such a tragedy for that family to have gone through.

Some of us met Drew's dad and his brother at the North Texas/Rice U game at

Fouts Field 2 years ago and what a nice family they are.

Good find, Harry.