PREP FOOTBALL: Gators' field general Smothers comfortable with offense

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on October 17, 2016 9:57 AM

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By RUDY COGGINS

rcoggins@newsargus.com

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Landon Smothers leaned forward in his chair.

The Spring Creek sophomore hardly looked as if he had just finished a weight-lifting session. Small beads of sweat on his forehead said otherwise.

That wouldn't have been noticed a year ago.

Midway through his JV season, Smothers -- who played quarterback -- took a hard hit and suffered a concussion. Before the injury, he displayed a calm demeanor in the pocket and never wavered when opposing linebackers broke through the Gators' first line of defense.

His composure didn't go unobserved.

The wheels turned in Aaron Sanders' head.

A fully-recovered Smothers could turn a one-dimensional offense into a scheme that would better utilize the Gators' athleticism and speed. He moved Jessie Casper into the backfield and never heard a whisper of discontent from the former varsity QB.

Spring football came.

Smothers looked at ease and consistently threw smooth, on-the-mark passes to his receivers.

He continued that pattern of success during 7-on-7 workouts.

At that point, Sanders officially handed the offensive reins over to Smothers.

"To have that happen as a sophomore, it makes you feel good because the coaches are counting on you, trusting you and that's helping me get more confident," said a modest Smothers. "I had an idea it might happen when over the summer they said they were going to move Jessie to running back. We've got talented receivers and an offensive line that's doing a good job.

"I just felt confident going into the season."

Smothers, no doubt, has been a model of consistency.

The lanky signal caller threw a touchdown pass in each of his first five games -- a first in program history. He's thrown a total of 16 TD strikes overall and spread his 83 completions among nine different receivers.

The Gators' tandem of Najee Young and Jamerion Dawson, who is currently injured, have combined to reel in 48 receptions for 676 and 11 touchdowns. Dominique Morse has seven catches for 181 yards and two TDs.

"It feels good when you have receivers like that where you can throw it up and let them go get it," said Landers of his two outside targets -- Morse and Dominique, who are both six feet or taller.

"They run good routes, they're really athletic players. I feel like I'm good for the role because I'm a pocket passer. I think they've trusted me that I'm going to get the ball to them. They're great players who make players."

Morse likes Smothers' decision making.

Plus, he's enjoyed the chemistry he's developed with the soft-spoken QB who uses live-game situations to expose opposing defensive schemes. Morse, along with Dawson and Young, discuss defensive alignments as they walk toward the huddle.

That communication takes pressure off Sanders.

"We talk about what we see in coverages...usually works out good," grinned Morse. "He makes good decisions, knows where to put the ball on the 'T.' He's just smart with it really (and) it gives us chance to make plays. It's hard to guard us when you've got two receivers like that with one on each side and you've got a QB who can get it to us.

"They're going to have to double-team one of us and the other one is going to be open."

Spring Creek averages 26.3 points a game -- second-best only to the 2005 squad that holds the single-season record of 26.67 points. That team scored a school-record 320 points and finished 6-6 overall when then-head coach Roy Whitfield.

The disruption from Hurricane Matthew has prevented the Gators, and the rest of their county brethren, from taking the football field. Timing will be a concern in the passing game, but Smothers has Casper, who can give the offense a jumpstart in the running game.

Casper has churned out 212 yards and two TDs on 50 totes.

"We all work together pretty good," Morse said. "Our running backs have gotten better. Our O-line has been working hard. Communicating has been the main thing. It's fun out there. I like it."

So does Smothers.