Tre Smith of Auburn/white running back

[white lightning]

Tre Smith has had a really bad few years at Auburn.When he gets to play he usually does reall good but injuries
and mainly playing as a 3rd string running back have done
him in.He is extremly fast as he runs a 4.4 in the 40.He
will get a medical redshirt for this year as he only played occasionaly returning kicks. With both C.Williams
and Brown graduating,Tre will have 2 years left to try
and be the star like he was in high school.He went to
school in Florida and set records there in Venice.Watch
out for him next season.I just wish he would have went to a better school than Auburn.It has never been very white friendly in a long,long,time.

 

[kevin]

with williams and brown going into the nfl draft look for smith to thrive behind a powerful offenseive line next season.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Here's a link I just found on Tre, although it's from last year. It is an honest admission of him getting looked over, except there is no mention of race, as usual.
http://www.nfldraftblitz.com/top10rbduo.htm

 

[Don Wassall]

This is from Caste Football's College Football Archives on Smith, part of which quotes from two newspaper articles in which race is mentioned:


(12/6/02) The SEC supplies more players to the NFL than any other conference. So it is significant that of all the SEC teams, only one has a white tailback. We're not talking about starting white tailbacks here, but any white tailbacks, whether first string or ninth string. That "honor" belongs to Tre Smith of Auburn, and only because Smith was tenacious in wanting to play tailback. Smith is 5'10" 194, very quick and fast. He was an all-state high school player in Florida, leading Venice High School in his senior season to a 15-0 record by rushing for more than 1,800 yards and scoring 34 touchdowns. Smith is only fourth string with Auburn but because of injuries he recently got some playing time and showed he is more than capable. In Auburn's 31-7 blowout of a good LSU team, Smith rushed for 80 yards on just 11 carries and had a touchdown run. The rigidly enforced caste system in football is illustrated by two recent newspaper articles about Smith. Here's an excerpt from an article in the 8/22/02 Montgomery Advertiser: "[Smith] was 6A Player of the Year in Florida, and earned scholarship offers from Florida, Florida State and Nebraska. He was ranked in several publications as one of the nation's top 50 prep tailbacks. He even ran the fastest 20-yard shuffle run at the prestigious Nike football camp last summer. Still, college recruiters kept asking about a move to defense. Maybe cornerback. Maybe safety. Smith wasn't sure what to think. 'I don't know if it was the color of my skin or what I did,' Smith said." And here's an excerpt from the 11/1/02 Dothan (AL) Eagle, from an article titled "Auburn's Smith Proves Doubters Wrong": "During two-a-days, Smith said he believed he was overlooked by some college recruiters not only because of his size but also because of his race. White tailbacks are a rarity at the college level, so he was often encouraged to consider a position change. 'A lot of schools wanted to move me to defensive back,' he said. 'I don't know if it was the color of my skin or what, but I ran the fastest 20-yard shuffle at the Nike Camp in Miami and the guy said, 'You didn't touch the line, run it again.' They kept making me do it. I guess they didn't believe I was that fast.'"

 

[white lightning]

Tre Smith will be the man to watch on Auburn next
season and it is about time.It will be odd to see a
white running back starring at a usually highly black
Auburn football team.Maybe it will open some eyes and
give more kids like him a shot.He is a excellent return
man to on kicks and punts.I would rather see him
concentrate on just being a star running back.He has
waited a long time for this chance!

 

[Colonel_Reb]

No doubt, I will be keeping up with him. I'm not an Auburn fan, but I will be next year. He's probably the first hopefully starting white TB in the SEC since the 80's, except for Vanderbilt. They seem to be the only white-friendly team in the SEC. I never had much for Tuberville especially after what he did to my Rebels in 1998 when he left, but I have to applaud him for not passing up on Tre's talent and giving him a shot at his natural position.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Tre started the 2002 Iron Bowl, in which Auburn beat favored Alabama. He says on his AU profile page that was his proudest moment.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Here are two links that we can keep up with Tre Smith throughout his Senior season at Auburn. He will be, if he starts, probably the highest profile white running back in the country. Auburn's A Day will be March 19, which will include the Spring game. Last year he ran for 99 yards on 12 carries in that game. Let's see how he does this year.

His profile page is: http://www.auburntigers.com/football/page.cfm?doc_id=764

The Auburn all-time stats page, which includes Tre can be found at:
http://www.auburntigers.com/football/stats/2004/histcarr.htm

 

[Don Wassall]

I'll be very, very surprised if Smith is allowed to start. Besides his skin color, his lack of size is the perfect excuse to keep using him at punt returner no matter how good of a running back he is. It'll take a string of injuries for him to get more than occasional play at tailback. I hope I'm wrong, but unfortunately the Caste System is very predictable.

 

[sport historian]

I can tell you how the sports columnists would react to this site and topic, if they ever notice it. They would say, "Well, Bo Jackson couldn't have played in the SEC in 1965. The evil racism of that time has been stamped out. Whites are inferior to African-American athletes. So shut up your whining, you silly white males."I have seen this viewpoint many times in the sports columns. The first thing they will bring up is the segregation of the old days.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Your probably right, sportshistorian. I will keep hoping that Smith and Hillis will get a shot at the feature position this year. But I won't hold me breath.

 

[kevin]

hillis will play fullback, he is to big to play running back. auburn really doesn't have any other running backs next year, so tre will get plenty of playing time. however he is going to be a senoir so he has to have a great year or he will not be playing in the nfl .

 

[Colonel_Reb]

I agree Kevin, I hope Tre does great things next year. I know we'll all be watching him.

 

[white lightning]

If I'm not mistaken,Tre Smith will have 2 seasons left
because on being injured the majority of the year.I hope
this is true because he would have enough time to turn
some heads and hopefully be drafted high in the nfl.He
will have no problem with the speed or vertical tests.
In fact,he might just be the quickest back there when
and if he eventually gets invited to the nfl combine.
Good luck to Smith this year.Heres to a thousand yard
season.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Unfortunately, Tre will be a Senior even though he did not play much last year. He did not get a medical redshirt, and therefore will have only this year of eligibility left. Let's hope he makes good use of it, if he indeed starts!

 

[white lightning]

Below is an excellent article on Tre Smith.I checked on
the other 3 running backs.2 of them are freshman and will
hardly see the field.Smith is still only considered a
junior because last year was a medical redshirt.This is
great news.The job is between him and the transfer from
S.Carolina.Let's hope he finally gets to be the star at
Auburn.He has waited a long time for this opportunity
and so have we to see him play.Go Tre Smith.

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=184&p=2&c=356571

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Wow, I didn't realize he had two more years left. That's a good article too. I sure hope Tre beats out the guy from SC. I don't see why he can't physically, it's just that I'm suspicious of Tommy T giving the job to him. Tub is a PC hack, just ask us real Ole Miss fans. Personally, I hate the guy for what he did here, but I hope he sucks it up and gives Tre the job if he proves himself to be the best back they have. The Auburn spring game is March 19 at 1PM. I think this could be the year in which Auburn whitens up a bit! I sure hope so.

 

[white lightning]

I believe Tre had 11 carries for 34 yards in the game.
He looked solid and scored on a one yard touchdown run.
On a bad note,the other guy from S.C. had a 61 yard t.d.
run and a better game.It's only one game.I wonder if
the line blocked better for him or the defense wants the
other guy to win if you know what I mean.It happens all
of the time.I really hope he wins the starting job but
we won't know till around August.Either way,worse case
scenario is he is the 2nd string back and still gets
around 10-12 carrys a game.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Whitelightning, What game are you talking about? The spring game isn't for another 9 days. They have only been in pads for a couple of days, and their first scrimmage isn't until Saturday.

 

[white lightning]

I read it in a article off google news.The article
focused on the s.c. guy.Maybe it was in practice but
I'm not sure.I will double check.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

OK, I'll let ya'll know how the spring game goes.

 

[white lightning]

Well guys,here is a article about one of the spring
scrimmage games.He had 2 touchdowns and a great overall
game both running + catching the ball.Way to go T.Smith!

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/sports/050313/day.s html

 

[Colonel_Reb]

I can't find anything on the game yet, but I will let you guys know just as soon as I do.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Well, just when I say that, I find it. Tre had 8 carries for 34 yards, while the other rb had 13 for 41 and Irons from SC had 18 for 73. Who knows what that means for next season, but kepp working hard Tre and maybe Tub will give you a shot, but don't count on it. He's screwed many other people before.

 

[white lightning]

Another good article on Smith with 2 good pictures.

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=184&p=2&c=360392