Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 14, 1995 TAG: 9509140034
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Midterms haven't come around yet, but Monty Smith already is making the grade with Hampden-Sydney's football team.
Smith, a freshman fullback from Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, rushed eight times for 39 yards in his debut Saturday in the Tigers' season-opening loss to Gettysburg. They weren't outstanding marks, but they were good enough for Smith to go to the head of the freshman class.
``That ain't bad for the first time,'' said Joe Bush, Hampden-Sydney's coach and a Roanoke native. ``He graded out higher than the others.''
Bush said Smith, a 6-foot-1, 240-pounder, likely will start Saturday when the Tigers play host to Wesley College. The Wolverines went 8-2 last season and won their first game Saturday 55-0 over Framingham (Mass.) State.
Wesley will counter with its own bruising tailback, junior Brandon Steinheim, who rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns on just six carries against Framingham.
``We've got our hands full,'' Bush said.
If desperation should set in for Hampden-Sydney, it could move Smith back to the position for which he was recruited - linebacker. However, Bush says Smith is too valuable as an offensive threat. The Tigers lost last year's leading rushers, Wes Dearing and Natural Bridge's Robert Thompson, to graduation.
Smith said he'll do whatever gives him the most playing time.
``It all depends,'' he said, ``but I do like to run over people.''
Smith has been spending his time running from class to class - his schedule includes economics, statistics and biology, among others. More than 72 hours after last week's game, Smith still did not know what kind of numbers he put up.
``I didn't find a paper and I didn't want to ask Coach,'' he said.
That's fine with Bush. He'll just ask more of his fullback.
by CNB