Nov. 15, 2015
Past Michael Klitzing 2014-15 football features
2014
Aztecs make strong first impression (Aug. 30)
Pumphrey's dominance is no passing fancy (Sept. 27)
Injury bug can't keep these Aztecs off the field (Oct. 19)
Barrett's play helps SDSU keep goals within reach (Nov. 8)
Pumphrey has Aztec history within reach (Nov. 29)
Aztecs, Pumphrey unable to savor record season (Dec. 23)
2015
New Aztecs QB Smith grateful to feel those gameday jitters again (Sept. 3)
Better pass with caution against these Aztecs (Sept. 6)
Aztecs lean on toughness at crucial juncture (Oct. 4)
Smith finding comfort zone as Aztecs hit stride
By Michael Klitzing
@mikeklitzing
SAN DIEGO --- Need an indication of how things are going for Maxwell Smith these days? He started his postgame interview session Saturday night by nitpicking his performance.
The substandard performance in question? A three touchdown effort in a 35-point win.
"If you look at the stat line it looks pretty good," said the senior San Diego State quarterback after leading the Aztecs to a 38-3 drubbing of Wyoming at Qualcomm Stadium. "But I feel like I've had better games, honestly."
Thing is, he may have a point. The Kentucky transfer has been pinpoint accurate over the past five games and hasn't thrown an interception in over two months --- a span of 144 pass attempts.
For a quarterback who struggled mightily as the Aztecs staggered out of the gate in 2015, it has been an incredible turnaround. Smith's completion percentage after five weeks was a plumbing the depths at 42 percent. Since then? 69 percent.
In this case, the nice numbers don't lie. Smith's throws have been on target, his decisions sound, and his chemistry with new go-to receiver Mikah Holder obvious.
"I just feel more comfortable every single game, every single practice rep that I get," Smith said. "I'm understanding what Coach (Jeff) Horton wants to do and what Coach (Blaine) Morgan want to do with me. I've been in the system a little bit longer and I'm enjoying a little bit more success than I was early on in the season."
For Smith, perhaps more of a learning curve should have been expected from the onset ââ'¬" even from a player with ample starting experience in the Southeastern Conference. Finding your rhythm in a new system and with unfamiliar teammates while scraping off more than a season's worth of rust takes time.
Well that familiarity has finally come, and it's no coincidence that the Aztecs --- who have won each of their past four games by 23 points or more --- have started to roll.
"Our team is playing with confidence and so is he," head coach Rocky Long said. "I think he feels much more comfortable in our offense and more comfortable with the plays being called. He knows what the plays are and how to check out of those plays to get into a better play. He understands our passing game a lot better now and he's got people he likes to go to."
At the top of that list is Holder, the skinny but sure-handed sophomore from Oceanside. The two hooked up in the first quarter in a 7-yard touchdown strike, and then again just before halftime on a 4-yard toss lofted perfectly over a Cowboy corner who was right in Holder's face. The second score was a prime example of the chemistry the two have forged.
"Max is a good leader and during practice he lets us know what he wants and what he sees," Holder said. "On the touchdown, we worked on it during the week and he kind of told me it was going to be back shoulder. It was perfect. Perfect throw."
Even with his evident growth, Smith's numbers still aren't eye-popping - particularly in an age of college football where spread offense go berserk nightly. But with a pro-style offense that would rather run you into the ground than spread you out, that's by design.
Still, a quarterback who completes 69 percent of his passes and never, ever throws a pick?
That's nothing to nitpick.