INDIANAPOLIS
Most college football players never finish even a single game with the kind of statistics they put up in high school.
Brenden Smith bucked this trend Oct. 29.
Smith, a redshirt sophomore safety for Marian University, recorded 10 tackles, his first career interception and a fumble recovery as the Knights, the No. 1 team in NAIA, steamrolled Concordia, 55-13.
The Daily Journal’s Player of the Year in 2013, Smith, an Indian Creek High School graduate, has 26 tackles this season and 50 for his career.
Primarily utilized as a special teams player last season, Smith remains a valued commodity on punt and kick coverage units to go along with his new duties on defense.
“This season has been a lot of fun. It’s really the first time I’ve had to compete for a position,” Smith said. “We had a D-I transfer come in from IU (former Ben Davis standout Antonio Allen), and he’s really made me step my game up to try to compete with him.
“I’ve learned a lot from him and from the other safeties. I feel like if I would have jumped in a game last year it would have been a lot worse than doing it this season. It’s prepared me a lot better.”
The 6-foot-1 Smith now weighs 205 pounds, which is 15 heavier than when he last played for Indian Creek.
Marian, the NAIA national champion in 2012 and 2015, completed its 10-game regular season undefeated by handily defeating Siena Heights, 59-14, on Saturday.
Coach Mark Henninger’s program now prepares for the NAIA playoffs having won its games this season by an average of 41.6 points. The Knights start what they hope is another deep postseason when they host Robert Morris in a first-round playoff game Saturday.
Now in his fourth season as Marian’s head coach, Henninger, a 1992 Roncalli graduate, is happy with the progress Smith has shown.
“Brenden is doing a great job, and I have been impressed with his development over the last two seasons,” said Henninger, who has a 39-10 record with the Knights. “He is a great athlete who is finally figuring out how to use that athleticism within the framework of our defense.
“It’s been fun to watch this maturation. Brenden is a very physical and enjoys contact, two characteristics you need to have as a safety in our system. It’s what also makes him an outstanding player on special teams.”
Smith played baseball for Marian as a freshman and sophomore.
Though he thoroughly enjoyed the experience, playing a spring sport limits what Smith is able to do in terms of preparation for the football season ahead.
A pitcher/outfielder for the Knights, Smith hit .250 and scored 15 runs last spring. He’s also logged 21 2/3 innings on the hill during his Marian baseball career.
He’s yet to decide whether he’ll be part of the 2017 Knights’ baseball roster.
“It’s up for grabs. I’m not sure,” Smith said. “I’m debating on letting it go so I can try to see what happens with football. Next year I’m probably going to have a starting position (in football). I lose about eight to 10 pounds every time I enter baseball season.
“I just lose that strength and the (football) reps that I get out here. Backpedaling and seeing opposing players one-on-one with routes and tackling. It definitely holds me back a little bit, but I also think baseball helps me out with eye-hand coordination and tracking a ball.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”The Smith file” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Former Indian Creek football player Brenden Smith redshirted as a freshman at Marian University, but been a key contributor the past two seasons:
Season;Games;Tackles;INT
2015;12;24;0
2016;10;26;1
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