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FORT WAYNE -- Roderick Smith of Harding High School concluded his high school football career as the No. 8 rusher in Indiana State History with 6,625 yards after gaining 1,855 as a senior. Smith is the all-time leading rusher in the City of Fort Wayne’s History.
Smith now begins his collegiate career at The Ohio State University next Fall, as he inked his name to the letter-of-intent from OSU Wednesday morning at a 9:00 a.m. press conference where he made his plans official.
“It has always been Ohio State,” Smith said. “Since my freshman year in high school, they have showed interest in me. Everything about The Ohio State University I liked – from the football program to their academics – I decided way back then I wanted to be a Buckeye.” Smith was first noticed by the OSU Coaching Staff at one of the Buckeye’s Football Camps offered to high school players during his freshman season.
Asked about the “pressure” of being the top running back chosen by the Buckeyes in this recruiting class, Smith responded, “I am honored that the OSU Coaching Staff thinks that highly of me. I am used to the so-called pressure and high expectations. I have learned how to handle all that throughout my high school career. The administrators and coaching staff at Harding High School has helped me prepare for college. I play three sports here (Harding) and sometimes its hard to have enough quality time for everything. They helped me in organizing my time between athletics and academics.”
Another reason Smith was sold on becoming a Buckeye is the relationship that OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel and Assistant Coach Dick Tressel built with him. “Both coaches always called me throughout the entire year and just talked with me about everything going on in my life (sports, academics, free time),” Smith said. “They really cared about me being successful in every aspect of my life.
Concerning his goals heading to OSU, Smith said he will major in Health and when he's on the field, he wants to contribute as fast as possible. “They have not talked to me at all about red-shirting, so I plan on competing for a position in the offensive back field,” Smith added. “That’s another reason OSU was always high on my list, because they wanted me to play running back.”
Smith has been compared by some scout experts as another Chris “Beanie” Wells, a former OSU All-American running back and now of the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL, who had the rare combination of power and speed that few running backs possess. “It’s an honor to be compared to Wells,” Smith said. “I will do my best to live up to that honor.”
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