Edison alum Tyrone Smith returns as Utah starter to face Fresno State

Former Edison High star Tyrone Smith will make his return to Fresno this week as a true freshman wide receiver for the nationally No. 21-ranked Utah Utes.

It’s the realization of a dream, and as a starter no less at a position he wasn’t originally recruited to play – a year after he sat out a season to complete classroom work to become academically eligible.

“Just happy to be back in town,” said Smith, whose Utes (2-0) face Fresno State (1-1) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Bulldog Stadium.

“I’m just going to be happy to be there and just give it my all in front of my home crowd. Definitely excited to play in front of my family.”

Utes coach Kyle Whittingham said Smith is “off to a good start.”

“He’s certainly been a guy that’s contributed, and we think he’s going to get better as time goes by.”

That he is contributing on offense is a bit of a surprise, since the Utes pursued Smith as a free safety. Utah certainly needed help on the defensive side at the time, ranking 109th in the nation in passing yards allowed (267.3 per game) and last in interceptions with three in 2013.

“Crazy figures,” Edison coach Matt Johnson said. “The coach that was recruiting Tyrone, he pulled out his iPad and showed me a video of how many plays Utah missed because the safety couldn’t catch a football and finish that play and create a turnover. All they were looking for is a guy who can play long and play as a deep middle safety, and they couldn’t find that guy.”

Johnson considered it all, and still told then-Utes defensive coordinator Kilani Sitake (now with Oregon State) to play Smith at receiver.

“He wasn’t supposed to be a receiver,” Johnson said. “All he ever wanted to do is go to college, and all he ever wanted to do is catch a football. He was willing to do whatever they asked him to do. That’s the kind of guy he is. He never complains.”

As a senior in 2013, Smith had 669 yards and 11 touchdowns on 35 receptions for a Tigers team that finished 9-2.

The Utes took notice when Smith and the Tigers played Crenshaw-Los Angeles, a team that Johnson remembers as having a lot of “speed and talent.” Among Smith’s contributions was an over-the-shoulder interception in a 29-14 victory.

“He covered a lot of ground,” Johnson said. “(The Utes) needed one guy in the middle of their defense. I told them, ‘Yeah, but still, what about what else could happen to him? Ever think of that? I like him as a receiver.’ He’s designed to move forward and he’s not a backpeddle guy.”

The Utes listened and Smith responded by showing flashes of his potential, at receiver, this spring. Smith is a starter at flanker and has four receptions – two for 11 yards in his debut against Michigan and two for 19 yards against Utah State last week.

“(Coach Johnson) would say that a lot to everybody,” Smith recalled. “I told him if I go to a college and they want me to play defense that’s what I’m going to play, and he was like, ‘No, you’re a receiver.’ I remember him always saying that. Wherever the coaches tell me to play, that’s what I’m going to play.”

Whittingham noted that the 6-foot-4, 188-pound Smith has been with the program nearly a year and is growing into his role.

“What stands out is his great size and athleticism, with a long wingspan, but he has the potential to put on another 15 to 20 pounds really easily. With that frame and speed and agility, he’s going to be a very dangerous receiver for years to come.”

Whittingam noncommittal on QB

Utah’s starting quarterback remains a question mark, after senior Travis Wilson had to leave the Utah State game with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder. Don’t look to Whittingham for an answer, at least for now.

“Whoever gives us the best opportunity to win the football game is who we’re going to go with,” he said.

Kendal Thompson, another senior, replaced Wilson and went 8 for 10 for 56 yards and also rushed for 23 yards and a touchdown. Thompson had gone 9 for 12 for 76 yards.

Utes searching for sacks

Through their first two games, the Utes have two sacks. Quite a difference from last season, when the Bulldogs helped fuel Utah’s hot start in that category.

The Utes had 11 sacks in their 2-0 start in 2014, including seven against Fresno State in a 59-27 rout on Sept. 6. They finished with 55 for the season, second best in the nation.

To ratchet the sack numbers back up, Whittingham said, his team needs to “dial up a little more pressure.”

“We’ve been conservative,” Whittingham said. “Teams are aware of what we’ve done in the past.”

This story was originally published September 16, 2015 at 7:16 PM with the headline "Edison alum Tyrone Smith returns as Utah starter to face Fresno State."