South Carolina QB Chris Smelley to transfer to Bama

He is from Tuscaloser, and his brother Brad Smelley is a TE for Bama, so it's not surprising he wants to go back there. It appears he is most interested in playing baseball for the Tide.

In football, he was the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Alabama after setting Alabama state records for single-season passing yards (4,120), single-season passing TDs (59), career passing TDs (134), and single-game passing yards (585).

Out of high school, Rivals ranked him the #8 pro-style QB (4-star).

In baseball, he was a star catcher in high school, leading his team to two consecutive state championships.

http://www.tidesports.com/article/2...e=Smelley_granted_release_from_South_Carolina

http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2009/01/alabama_could_soon_be_adding.html

 

spurrier still has a problem letting a qb be in the spotlight.

he will rotate them every play and bench them constantly just to show what a genius he is. proving he can win with anyone back there.

unfortunately, that works better when you're at UF with lots more talent.

not so much at SC.

he would probably have tebow on the bench.

 

Rivals ranked him higher than Sam Bradford, their #12 pro-style QB

Chris Smelley came out of high school the same year as:

QB Tim Tebow, Florida (#1 dual-threat QB)
QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma (#12 pro-style QB)
QB Matthew Stafford, Georgia (#1 pro-style QB)
QB Jevan Snead, Ole Miss (#3 dual-threat QB)
QB Todd Reesling, Kansas (#16 dual-threat QB)
QB Mitch Mustain, Southern Cal (#2 pro-style QB) -- battling Aaron Corp for the #2 spot behind Sanchez
QB Greg McElroy, Alabama (#11 pro-style QB) -- will start for Bama next year
QB Jake Locker, Washington (#4 dual-threat QB)
QB Juice Williams, Illinois (#3 pro-style QB)
QB Josh Freeman, K-State (#4 pro-style QB) -- entering the NFL Draft, projected 2nd Round

 

He's not a big Spurrier fan and thats putting it mildly.

He was a pretty good baseball player. We'll have to see if he still has it.

 

I'm betting he plays QB for the tide next season for many reasons.
His brother is a Te.
He can probably start at QB since Bama has Zero experience at that postion and he does.
It seems like the perfect fit when you think about it.

The Key here is...
Here is the deal, he probably said what he did to get him out of USCE after the bad year they had.
Sometimes someone is in a bad situation or position and will say whatever it takes to get them out the door!

The kid will play for Nick and have a much better chance of winning a championship in football than in baseball.
Not saying he won't play baseball but giving reasons why he will be on the football team.

My take for what its worth!

 

doesn't he have to sit out a year for transferring?

 

One would think so but the article says the following...
Not saying it will happen but that it might, for what its worth!

"Smelley plans to enroll immediately and hopes to be eligible to play

baseball for the Crimson Tide in the 2009 season."

 

He cant play football next year and is only transferring to play baseball. He would never play football there regardless.

 

McElroy will be the Bama QB for the next two years. After Smelley sits out for a year, he could possibly try to beat out McElroy for 2010. But if Bama baseball gives him a scholarship, then it counts toward Bama football's scholarship limit as well... so Saban might not take him on the football team. If Smelley is a walk-on to the baseball team, then there is no problem with the scholarship limit if he walks-on to the football team.

 

Is SEC-SEC two years? I cant remember.