The Recruiting Guy

Fun and danger all in a day's work for recruiter

Arkansas receivers coach Michael Smith answers questions during the Razorbacks' annual media day on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2015, at Fred W. Smith Center in Fayetteville.
Arkansas receivers coach Michael Smith answers questions during the Razorbacks' annual media day on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2015, at Fred W. Smith Center in Fayetteville.

College football recruiting can offer some unique and interesting stories while coaches are on the road seeking talent.

For Arkansas Razorbacks receivers coach Michael Smith, he thought his last day on earth was going to happen while he was flying into Hardy to see redshirt sophomore receiver Deon Stewart, who signed with the Razorbacks in 2016.

"When we went to see Deon Stewart, I thought I was going to die," said Smith, who was joined on the trip by Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema and tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr.. "I really did. When that plane went down and that runway was to the left and we were way out to the right and I swear we were 10 feet off the ground. I was like, 'Not like this man. Please don't let me go out like this.' We took back off and went around."

Smith, who is black, joked that he changed colors during the attempted landing.

"I turned white. I couldn't see myself, but I felt my blood leave my body because I was like, 'What the heck?' " Smith said. "I didn't scream. I just ... was just stunned. Seriously. I was like, 'Not like this.' You see you everything just flash in front of you. 'I'm never going to see my kids, not going to see my wife, my mom and dad. It's done.' "

Despite the scary episode, Smith said he's still not afraid of flying.

"No, I've also come to grips with, 'Hey, when it's time to go, it's time to go. You got to go,' " Smith said. "I'll fly all day because I do not like to drive. I hate driving."

When coaches make in-home recruiting visits during the contact period in December and January, it's not unusual to have numerous extended family members, friends and neighbors show up to entertain a Razorbacks assistant. But when Coach Bret Bielema shows up, the numbers can go up drastically.

When Smith and Bielema were headed to see senior linebacker Dwayne Eugene and senior cornerback Henre Toliver, who both attended Rummel High School in Marrero, La. But they weren't prepared for what they encountered.

"We did it at Dwayne's parent's house, and it was a block party," Smith said. "They probably had 70 to 80 people there. People celebrate because the head coach is coming in town. And the crazy thing is when I go home and I let Dwayne's parents and Henre's parents know I'm in town and I'll stop by to say 'Hi' and all those people still come out of the woodwork to say 'Hi' to me. It's awesome."

Smith and Bielema were shocked by the turnout.

"I was like, 'Coach I didn't expect this,' " Smith said. "We were in the house. We were in the street. We were in the pool. It was a block party, and we ate like kings that night."

Smith, a record-setting receiver at Kansas State, began his coaching career with the Wildcats as a full-time assistant in 1997. He said he takes advantage of the relationships he's built over the years.

"That's the thing through this recruiting process at every institution I've been to," he said. " I still have people I recruited at K-State that will call me and tell me when they have a kid, That helps because they know what I'm looking for and they know the type of person I am and how I'm going to take care of the kids."

E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

Sports on 09/17/2017

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