UCA DB brightest vs. ASU

Tre Smith poses for photos August 7th, 2016 during UCA's Media Day in Conway.
Tre Smith poses for photos August 7th, 2016 during UCA's Media Day in Conway.

CONWAY -- Big games are not uncommon to Tre Smith, but one had never come on a stage quite this size.

Smith, a 6-0, 195-pound junior cornerback and punt returner for Central Arkansas, excelled in each of his duties to lead UCA to a 28-23 victory over Arkansas State at Jonesboro on Saturday. It was the second victory for UCA, an Football Championship Subdivision school, over a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent, and its first since 2009.

Tre Smith at a glance

HEIGHT 6-0

WEIGHT 195

CLASS junior

HOMETOWN Anniston, Ala.

UCA statistics

YR;TACKLES;INT.

2016;13;1

2015;51;5

2014;19;3

TOTAL;83;9

Smith returned two punts for 77 yards, including one for 47 yards and a touchdown. He intercepted a pass and returned it 32 yards to help set up a field goal, and he defended a pass in the UCA end zone on the final play to preserve the Bears' victory.

Smith has had his share of outstanding performances since his arrival at UCA in 2014: He had 10 tackles and an interception against Lamar, and a tackle for loss and an interception against Houston Baptist.

Last season he tied for the Southland Conference lead with five interceptions. He was twice credited with eight tackles (Lamar and Sam Houston) and returned an interception 37 yards against FBS Oklahoma State, but Smith said nothing compares to the significance of his game against ASU.

"That's No. 1 for sure," he said. "To finally beat an FBS school, that's definitely No. 1."

"He probably stood out a little bit more to some other folks in that game, but we've always known how good he is," UCA Coach Steve Campbell said. "He's a heck of a talent and a really good football player."

Minutes after the game with ASU, Smith dedicated his touchdown return to his mother. He later said she watched the game at the stadium with several other relatives from Alabama. It was a nearly identical group who had seen Smith muff a punt, which he recovered, a week earlier in a victory over Northwestern (La.) State at Estes Stadium in Conway.

"After that first game, she blew up my phone, telling me how mad she was, how bad I made her look," Smith said. "So I thought, 'OK, I got you next week. We're going to play a bigger opponent, but that doesn't matter to me.' She was a lot happier on Saturday night."

Smith was named the Southland special teams player of the week, but for him, accolades are nothing new. He was a 2013 first-team All-State quarterback at Saks High School in Anniston, Ala., a first-team All-Southland cornerback last season, and a preseason All-Southland and FCS STATS All-American this summer.

UCA cornerbacks coach Josh Jones said he was told about Smith before he took the job this summer.

"They gave me a rundown of my group and the guys they thought would be good players for me, and of course his name came up," Jones said.

He said he was convinced in short order.

"It didn't take me any time at all to see how talented he was," Jones said. "And I know when he goes out there, he's going to compete. He's going to take pride in locking down a guy on that island, knowing that this is my guy, this is my position, and I'm not going to allow him to catch the ball."

It sounds clear to Jones and Campbell that Smith is likely to get a shot at professional football.

"I'm sure I'll get some calls," Jones said. "If not by the end of this year, by the start of next year some guys will start coming in to inquire about him, and he definitely has a chance. He's got the height. He can run. He's a strong enough kid, and he can do multiple things for you, and he's a smart kid. That's the most important thing.

"He has a lot of football savvy, and I think that goes a long way in helping someone get to the next level."

"He's a great player," Campbell said. "He's got NFL talent. He will be on their radar when the time comes. Tre is definitely going to attract some attention."

Smith said he knows his current priority concerns the quality of his play for UCA, but he thinks it might provide an opportunity in football somewhere else, perhaps the NFL.

"That's what I'm hoping for," Smith said. "I guess we'll find out."

Sports on 09/30/2016

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