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GCHS's Smith still awaits scholarship offer at KSU
Published 6/20/2009 in Sports
By MIKE KESSINGER
Two weeks ago, Brodrick Smith expected to walk into the Vanier Complex next to Bill Snyder Family Stadium, sign some paperwork and have a scholarship to play football at Kansas State University in Manhattan.
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Brad Nading/Telegram — Garden City High School's Brodrick Smith weaves through the Derby defense on his way to scoring a touchdown in September 2007 at Memorial Stadium.
When Smith, a former Garden City High School star quarterback, who played wide receiver at Minnesota last fall as a freshman, arrived he was given a bit of a jolt from the Wildcat coaching staff. Instead of a scholarship he said he was promised by K-State, Smith was asked to walk-on.
"They had told me I had a scholarship," Smith said of conversations with the K-State coaches before he arrived in Manhattan on June 1. "I was kind of shocked when I got there."
The news he would not receive a scholarship came from receivers' coach Michael Smith, who recruited Smith two years ago when he was at the University of Arizona.
Now, Smith finds himself in limbo. Minnesota has extended an invitation for him to return with a scholarship waiting after he was released. As Smith tells it, though, the reason he decided to transfer was to be closer to his 11-month old son, Blake, who is in Garden City. But the 6-foot-3 receiver is not shutting the door completely on the option of going back to Minnesota.
"The whole purpose of me transferring was to be closer to my son," Smith said. "(Minnesota) isn't rushing me to decide."
K-State has told Smith, who is in Garden City while he makes a decision about his college future, they may have a scholarship for him in the fall, if not then maybe when the spring semester starts in January. He will find out for sure Tuesday. If he has to walk-on for the fall semester Smith said he is fine with that, but two semesters without a scholarship in hand would be too much to wait on.
"If that happens then I don't know what I will do," Smith said if he is not offered a scholarship. "Walking on will be tough."
Along with Minnesota extending an offer to return, Smith has received interest from Kansas, Oklahoma State and Colorado. He also has been given the option of staying home and playing at Garden City Community College for his sophomore season. Smith said he would rather not go the junior college route, but he really doesn't have much of an interest in the other three.
Unless Smith decides on junior college he will have to sit out this upcoming season because of transfer rules stating a player must wait one year before his eligibility is reinstated. He would have three years of eligibility to play after that.
The K-State coaching staff is running camps in the Kansas City area this week, and no one from the staff was available for comment.
If Smith receives the scholarship for the fall or decides to walk on he will join his friend Chris Harper at K-State. A triple-threat at quarterback, running back and receiver at Oregon last season as a freshman. Harper has announced he will transfer to play for the Wildcats. Harper, a Wichita Northwest product, has had a scholarship extended to him.
"I didn't think Chris was going to leave (Oregon)," Smith said of his friend. "It was looking like he was going to be a starter at receiver. When it came down to it, I think his decision was a lot like mine. He wanted to be closer to home."
Found 1 comment(s)!
OUCH
OUCH! That one's gotta hurt. Good story.
Posted by: Pat on 6/20/2009
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