Are you paying close attention? Of the handful of teams who can realistically win next year's College Football Playoff, the Indiana Hoosiers are certainly one of them. The defending national champions may be up against it in climbing college football's highest summit in back-to-back seasons, but they have a secret weapon who is not getting the credit he deserves. That would be tackle Carter Smith...
In Max Olson's latest for ESPN, he identified the top returning player for each potential top 25 team. His choice for No. 1 Indiana was obviously Smith. While he did not come out and say it, the tone of Olson's blurb on Smith hints that he is a bit surprised Smith did not elect to turn pro. Had that been the case, Smith may have been a first-round lock like last year's Heisman winner, Fernando Mendoza.
Olson's ESPN colleague Mel Kiper Jr. only has Mendoza going in the first round of his pre-combine NFL mock draft. Not Omar Cooper Jr. Not Elijah Sarratt. Only Mendoza... This just further feeds into the notion that Curt Cignetti just might be the best head coach in college football. While Smith will be playing on offense for Mike Shanahan with Charlie Becker and Josh Hoover, he is their best player.
The reigning Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year could be markedly better than everyone he faces.
Carter Smith has the potential to be Indiana's Orlando Pace next season
For as much hype as there has been surrounding Hoover coming over from TCU, let's let him be himself first. Replacing the greatest player in program history is easier said than done. As far as Becker is concerned, he becomes the most important player in their receiving corps for the time being. Yes, Nick Marsh comes over from Michigan State, but Cooper and Sarratt are off to the NFL.
When we are looking at Indiana potentially repeating as College Football Playoff champions in a 12-team format, the Hoosiers need to have a player at a key position that nobody can account for. While having that player at quarterback is certainly preferrable, the next two best options would be out on the edge and along the offensive line. Smith makes Indiana's offense live strong and more powerful.
So while Hoover will surely flourish within the context of Shanahan's offense in Cignetti's system, the great play of Smith will be what gives him more time to maneuver in and around the pocket. Until the game changes in a completely and totally unexpected manner, line play shall dictate who wins and loses in championship settings. Indiana retains the best offensive tackle in the country for this year.
Hoover may end up getting all of the accolades anyway, but Smith is the straw that stirs their drink.