Hall of Fame Inductees
- Induction:
- 2014
Football, 2003-06
Smith, Ohio State’s seventh Heisman Trophy winner in 2006, was 25-3 as a starter during his career and posted a 3-0 mark against rival Michigan. He led the Buckeyes to two Big Ten championships and a spot in the 2006 BCS National Championship game.Smith redshirted as a freshman in 2002 and saw limited action the following year, appearing in 10 games at slash back and returning kickoffs. The talented sophomore broke into the starting lineup in 2004 in week seven and led the Buckeyes to a 4-1 record down the stretch, including a 37-21 win over Michigan in which he accounted for three touchdowns and 386 yards in total offense.
In 2005, Smith guided the Buckeyes to a 10-2 record that included a thrilling come-from-behind victory at Michigan and a decisive win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. Smith threw for 16 touchdowns and rushed for 11 more in his first full season as a starter.
But the Cleveland native saved his best for last, leading the No. 1 ranked Buckeyes to a 12-0 regular-season record and a spot in the national championship game as a senior in 2006. With one remarkable performance after another, he threw for a school single-season record 30 touchdowns and became just the second quarterback in Ohio State history to post a 3-0 record against Michigan as a starter. In a see-saw 42-39 win over the Wolverines, Smith threw four touchdown passes and topped the 300-yard mark in total offense for the third-consecutive year.
Following the regular season, the consensus All-American was a landslide winner in the Heisman Trophy voting, recording the second-largest margin of victory ever in the balloting. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft, where he played for three seasons. He also played with the San Francisco 49ers in 2010.
