Mitchell Blair
Brett Smith isn’t giving up on the 2015 football season, and that shouldn’t surprise anyone around the Saskatchewan Roughriders organization because he has proven that he doesn’t give up on much.
The University of Wyoming product made the opening-day roster thinking his entire season would be watching and learning from Darian Durant and Kevin Glenn. After a series of unfortunate events Smith is now the starting quarterback whose infectious character has captured the Rider Nation.
Immediately after the team’s Labour Day victory that gave the Riders their much-awaited first victory of the year, Smith reminded everyone this is a football team that has every thought of making noise in the second half of the season and being a playoff team.
“Everyone is excited in that room after getting that win, but we are all ready to come back to work this week because our mission isn’t about getting just one win, but finishing strong and getting as many wins as possible and making the playoffs and winning the Grey Cup.” Smith said. “Even though I’m young, I totally believe we can do it because we have the players in that room to do it. I have always thought we have unbelievable talent in that room and it is just a matter of putting four quarters together and limiting all the mistakes we have had.”
Smith admits the last two months have been head-spinning and he becomes emotional when he thinks where he is now compared to where he was one year ago.
I’m just grateful,” Smith confided. “It’s better compared to what I was doing last year, thinking about giving football up and bartending. I’d been told so many times ‘You’re not good enough to play’ that you wonder if it’s true or not. You’re not getting any calls, so you’re continuing to go to work or working at my grandpa’s farm, and now I’m playing in a sold-out stadium in front of these fans and we get a win in the Labour Day Classic. I get emotional just thinking about it. It’s incredible.”
The win was something Smith couldn’t describe, but as he talked about his first professional win, he was smart enough to realize that while living a dream right now, he knows what his role is for the immediate future.
“I am enjoying the time with my guys and enjoying the fact that they have confidence in me and that my coaches have confidence in me.” Smith said. “I’m not an idiot. I know this is Darian Durant’s team and I know this is Kevin Glenn’s team, but for however long I need to be in this role, I am going to work my butt off because this is what I have wanted my whole life. I couldn’t ask for anything else than to play professional football. It is pretty amazing.”
Smith’s role with the Riders is unclear as Glenn continues to heal from a pectoral injury, but the 23-year-old is going to enjoy the ride for as long as he is behind the wheel. If his words are as true as his fight to play professional football, this team may be able to accomplish something which many believe is improbable.
Smith and the rest of the green-and-white will look to win both ends of the home-and-home against Winnipeg on Saturday when the two teams play in the Manitoba capital in a 4:30 p.m. start.
