Chargers LB not lacking for talent

Simply put, Marquis Smith looks like a football player. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds with a muscle-bound frame, Dwight Howard-esque shoulders and a thick-as-bricks base, the Lackey linebacker could step on a college field and fit right in.

"Oh, he certainly passes the eyeball test," said Lackey coach Doug Lamb. "He has the ideal measurables college coaches are looking for."

It helps that Smith can play a little, too. A three-year varsity starter, Smith was a solid rock on a defense that struggled at times last year. He primarily lined up at inside linebacker, but he was able to bring the pressure as a defensive end and drop into coverage as an outside linebacker as well. He recorded a team-high 97 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception and two pass defenses.

What's more, he rarely made a mistake and shined against the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference's best teams.

"He played well against us; he definitely stood out for them and made plays all over the place," said McDonough corner Marchez Coates, who was at conference runner-up North Point last year. "He's a big guy, but he can move. There were a few times where he took down our big guy, Conner Crowell (Ohio State) last year."

Smith's talent was evident before he even arrived at Lackey. A football lifer who starred in the youth leagues, he already had a basic understanding of the game when he reached high school.

When Smith showed up for his first summer practice, he immediately impressed the staff with his developed frame, his keen senses, his willingness to learn and his work ethic. Lamb resisted placing him on varsity right away, but by the end of the season, he couldn't resist.

Smith was promoted for the playoff run and immediately established himself in practice. He earned himself a starting spot and has yet to relinquish his grip on it.

"There's not much he doesn't do well," Lamb said. "He plays with great technique, he has great balance, he plays with a low pad level, he's explosive at the point of attack, he's very rangy and he knows how to read. And he's probably one of the best tacklers we've had since I've been here."

Smith's loaded repertoire was on full display against Great Mills last year. On one particular series Great Mills sent their receiver straight down the seam. Smith, who was playing outside 'backer, had underneath coverage in Lackey's cover-2. But the pass sailed over Smith's head, hitting the receiver in stride.

Smith, however, didn't give up on the play. He raced back like a lion after a gazelle, tracked the receiver down, jumped on his back and stripped the ball loose. One of his fellow Chargers jumped on the fumble for a key turnover.

"He's a serious difference maker," said his teammate, cornerback Romell Haley. "He was a force in the middle. I think without him we might not have won a game."

But all Smith's physical attributes pale in comparison to his mental capabilities. Even as an underclassman, he captained the defense and called out the plays. Last year, Lamb trusted him to shift the defense as he saw fit. The coach even listened to Smith's suggestions when he recognized the opposing offense's tendencies.

"I've played football all my life, so I know the game well," said the reserved yet confident Smith. "I'm always a step ahead."

He certainly was during the Huntingtown game last year. Watching film that week, Smith recognized how the Hurricanes liked to pound the ball between the tackles.

When Huntingtown inevitably started feeding the ball to its big back, Andrew Bose, on up-the-gut runs, Smith was prepared. Although the Hurricanes had some initial success, Smith eventually caught on. He suggested to his coaches that the line and linebackers pinch in tight, almost like they were in a goal-line defense.

It worked. During one second-quarter sequence, Smith lurched forward, fired into the gap and dropped Bose at the line. Huntingtown still racked up the yards (and the points), but Smith forced the team to adjust its attack.

"He knows exactly where he's supposed to be," Lamb said. "Football players don't have to be the best athletes all the time. But if they understand the scheme and what's going on, it makes it a lot easier for them to make plays."

Now, if only Smith's football IQ translated to the classroom.

The NCAA requires a minimum 2.0 GPA to be eligible for Division-I college athletics. Anyone who falls below that mark can wave their scholarship goodbye.

Smith's GPA is hovering right above that minimum mark, so he's technically qualified. But both he and his coaches know most recruiters won't take a risk on an athlete with marginal grades, even one as talented as Smith.

"I know I can't go to college without grades, but I got off track when I was younger," Smith said. "I didn't realize how important grades were. But then my coach sat me down and my mom started taking stuff away from me. They got on me pretty hard. So now I'm working on it."

Lamb is pleased Smith finally had this little revelation. But the coach wants to see those words put into action.

"There's still work to do academically," Lamb said. "He has to understand how important this is. If he brings his grades up, he has a good shot at Division I."

Lamb would know. Five years ago, when he was at Thomas Stone High, he coached a player who looked just like Smith. Inside linebacker Nekos Brown had the same power forward's build, the same tenacity and versatility, and the same strength and desire.

But Brown also had the grades. After graduation he was able to parlay his high school success into a scholarship to Virginia Tech. He started at defensive end for two years at Tech, earning All-Conference honors in the process.

"Marquis can do that same thing Nekos did," Lamb said. "He has that capability."

The skill set is clearly there.

But now the question is: How badly does he want it?

"A lot of people have been telling me I can play college football," Smith said. "I didn't really believe it or understand what that meant before. Now I do."