The Montreal Alouettes sign QB and former Heisman trophy winner Troy Smith to a deal today.
The Montreal Alouettes are no doubt hoping quarterback Troy Smith has more success in the CFL than the last three Heisman Trophy winners who ventured north of the border.
The Alouettes signed Smith, who won the Heisman with Ohio State University in 2006, to a two-year contract Wednesday.
"We welcome Troy to the Alouettes," Montreal general manager/coach Jim Popp said. "We've been in discussions together for well over three months and have been patiently waiting for Troy to finish his commitments at Ohio State. We'll have to fast track Troy in order to get him over the learning curve of the CFL and caught up to speed over the next several weeks. He's here to learn and grasp the game for future competition."
The one-time NFLer -- he spent three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and one with the San Francisco 49ers -- has bounced around in the three years since. He last played for the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL but was on the Pittsburgh Steelers' roster for six months during the winter of 2012.
Former Heisman winners haven't had much luck in the CFL since Doug Flutie returned to the NFL. Andre Ware, Ricky Williams and Eric Crouch -- all of whom played with the Argos at one time -- had little impact during their brief CFL careers
http://cfl-scrapbook.no-ip.org/Ware.Andre.php Andre Ware CFL
http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show?id=1099 Eric Crouch CFL
http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show?id=1655 Ricky Williams CFL
http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/4166/troy-smith Troy Smith NFL
Looking at the stats…none have even be close to being successful…let alone adequate or mediocre
Wow, names from the past just keep popping up this week lol Troy Smith was going to be the next man up to try and play QB for the Ravens after a few years of Steve McNair/Kyle Boller. McNair got injured in 07, Boller started majority of the games, Smith started a few too, and the plan was to dump Boller because he sucked, and the former Hesiman trophy winner Smith who had shown some promise in a few snaps, was going to be get a chance to be the starter in 08. That year the Ravens also drafted Flacco in the first round, but still heading into the season it was believed among Ravens' fans that Smith could very easily win the starting job. Smith was going to get a chance to start in the third pre-season game, while Flacco developed/competed for the starting gig. Smith ended up getting really sick with a rare disease called Lemierre's syndrome, Flacco won the Boller successor sweepstakes by default, and now the rest is history...
But other than my useless story telling about the Ravens, main point was he definitely showed atleast some promise while in Baltimore; I was personally a big fan of Smith, but I am likely bias, but still I'll stand by my word that while I watched him, I saw at least something resembling a competent QB. Now we can add Smith to the shortlist of names for successor to the throne (only this title carries some actual significant...unlike Boller's...).
I like the pick up as a CFL fan in general, Smith is a shorter guy for a QB, but guys who win Heisman trophies don't just fall off trees.
I think I have made that well known around these parts :lol: I love me some Ravens, and I love me some Ti-Cats…and I guess you can sprinkle in my Avalanche too for when it gets lonely in winter/spring without football.
Lost me with the Avs … How can any warm blooded Canadian not be a fan of the JETS???
Anyways … Was in Cleveland a couple years ago when the Ravens were playing the Browns. An absolutely fantablulous experience with all the old-school/old-time Browns fans along with the new Ravens fans. It wasn’t hostile or adversarial in any way. It was good natured. Like cousins playing for family pride in the Thanksgiving Day football game out on the front lawn!
Sorry … Were we talking about something? I was busy arranging a free tattoo for my signature? Oh … Wait … Wrong OSU QB right?
Anyways … I think Vince Ferragamo will do well in MTL!
I guess AC's career is finally winding down. I find it strange that a team that's always recruited well, never really had a backup being groomed to take over to replace AC. For years, it looked like it'd be McPherson but they cut him last year.
Smith is almost 30 himself and was only a 50% passer in limited NFL action. I don't see a bright future here.
The once great Popp player finding machine has now been reduced to reclaiming 38 year old DEs and failed 29 year old QBs who won a famous trophy at school 7 years ago. Sad.
Haha, there’s a simple reason I am not a Jets fan, and that’s because they have only existed for 4 years of my life so far, 2 when I was a baby, and 2 now. I guess you can say I bandwagoned the Avalanche back when I was 6 years old…but c’mon, I was 6! I always have, and always will love the Avs, been like that my entire life…but to be honest I do regret the choice now when staying up to 1am watching west coast hockey games :roll: Soft spot for the Jets of course, like most Canadians it seems.
Lmao at the Pryor jab…maybe he will end up in Canada too some day
It seems like this has been the story the past few seasons, but AC just keeps coming back for more…but if the season continues the way it has for the Als, I think there’s strong possibility that we see a new guy quarterbacking the Als next year. I hope Smith gets a chance to compete, but it will heavily depend on who the Als bring in for the HC job, or if Popp remains as acting which I don’t think is the plan is it???
Edit: Forgot to add, jealousy meter hit 100 when I read you went to a Ravens/Brown game in Cleveland, that would have been absolutely amazing. Glad to hear both team’s fans were respectful and had a fun time, considering the natural feud that should exist between the two fan bases.
:rockin: