Jeff Smoker

Jeff Smoker
No. 9, 12, 6
Position:Quarterback
Personal information
Born: (1981-06-13) June 13, 1981 (age 43)
Manheim, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:224 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school:Manheim (PA) Central
College:Michigan State
NFL draft:2004 / round: 6 / pick: 201
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career Arena League statistics
TD-INT:89–28
Comp-Att:430–713
Passing yards:5,550
Passer rating:99.62
Stats at ArenaFan.com

Jeff Smoker (born June 13, 1981) is an American former professional football quarterback. He was selected by the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League (NFL) in the sixth round of the 2004 NFL draft. He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans. He was also the starting quarterback for the Nashville Kats and Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League (AFL).

College career

Jeff Smoker attended Michigan State University. While at Michigan State, he set many of the Spartans' passing records and when he finished his collegiate career he was the fifth leading passer-by-yards in Big Ten history.[1]

Smoker appeared in two bowl games during his career, winning his first, and only, in the 2001 Silicon Valley Football Classic 44–35 against Fresno State as a sophomore in 2001.[2] He lost his last bowl game against Nebraska with a score of 17–3 as a senior in the 2003 Alamo Bowl.[3][4]

Smoker also played in the "Clockgate" game against the Michigan Wolverines on November 3, 2001. In the game Smoker threw the winning touchdown with one second remaining.[5]

Substance abuse

Smoker was suspended for the last five games of the 2002 season by coach Bobby Williams due to a violation of team rules.[6] It was later revealed that Smoker was dealing with substance abuse issues.[7] His story and comeback was profiled in a front-page story in Sports Illustrated. Williams was fired toward the end of the 2002 season. Incoming coach John Smith reinstated Smoker in August 2003.[8]

Michigan State passing records

Held the following Michigan State passing records:
Records that have been surpassed are marked with an *

Career records

  • Passing yards: 8,932*
  • Touchdown passes: 61*
  • Pass attempts: 1,150*
  • Pass completions: 685*
  • 200-yard passing games: 23
  • Interceptions: 39
  • Passing yards per game (min 20 games): 217.9

Season records

  • Passing yards: 3,395 (2003)
  • Pass attempts: 488 (2003)
  • Pass completions: 302 (2003)
  • Passing efficiency rating (min 75 attempts): 166.4 (2001)
  • Total offense yards per attempt (min 100 attempts): 7.35 (2001)
  • Passing yards per game (min 5 games): (2003)*
  • Passing touchdowns: 21 (2001, 2003)*

Single game records

  • Pass attempts: 55 vs Ohio State (2003)
  • Pass completions: 35 vs Ohio State (2003)

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press Wonderlic
6 ft 3+1⁄8 in
(1.91 m) 		223 lb
(101 kg) 		9+7⁄8 in
(0.25 m) 		29+1⁄2 in
(0.75 m)		 x s x s x s 4.36 s 7.65 s 26+1⁄2 in
(0.67 m)		 8 ft 5 in
(2.57 m)		 x reps 23
Combine and pro day results[9]

St. Louis Rams (first stint)

Smoker was selected in the sixth round of the 2004 NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams, he made the Rams' roster in his rookie year as the team's third-string quarterback.[10][11] In his second year he was beaten out of that position by 2005 7th round draft pick Ryan Fitzpatrick and was cut from the Rams at the end of training camp.[12]

Philadelphia Eagles

Smoker spent a brief time on the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad in 2005.[13]

St. Louis Rams (second stint)

He spent the 2005 season on the club's practice squad due to injuries to the Ram's starter Marc Bulger and his back-up, Jamie Martin.[14] Due to the Rams' signing of former Miami Dolphins quarterback Gus Frerotte in the 2006 offseason,[15] Smoker was cut from the Rams roster at the beginning of the 2006 training camp on July 26, 2006.[16]

Kansas City Chiefs

On August 9, 2006, he was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs. Smoker was released on August 28.[17]

Nashville Kats

Smoker was signed by the Nashville Kats of the Arena Football League (AFL) on November 17, 2006. He got his first start with the Kats on March 18, 2007, versus the Utah Blaze in Nashville.[18] He replaced Clint Stoerner as the starting quarterback midway through the season and help lead the Kats to a 7–9 record, just barely missed the playoffs.[19] He was released from the team at the end of the 2007 season.[citation needed]

Arizona Rattlers

Smoker was signed by the Arizona Rattlers,[20] where he made his first starts after starter Lang Campbell went down with a sprained ankle.[21] He was their starting quarterback until the league folded in 2009.[22]

AFL statistics

Season Passing Rushing
Att Comp Pct Yards Avg TD Int QBR Long Att Yards Avg TD
Nashville Kats
2007 419 253 60.40 3,447 8.20 57 17 103.78 49 13 8 0.6 3
Arizona Rattlers
2008 294 177 60.20 2,103 7.20 32 11 93.68 49 11 26 2.4 2
Career[23][24] 713 430 60.30 5,550 7.70 89 28 99.62 49 24 34 1.5 5

References

  1. ^ "Big Ten Conference Career Leaders and Records for Passing Yards". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  2. ^ "Spartans Outscore No. 20 Fresno State, 44-35". Michigan State University Athletics. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  3. ^ "Lansing State Journal 30 Dec 2003, page Page 17". Newspapers.com. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  4. ^ "2003 Michigan State football". HuskerMax. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  5. ^ GOPAL, ARUN (November 5, 2001). "Last-second heroics doom Wolverines". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  6. ^ gandaily (October 24, 2002). "Spartans' Smoker suspended". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  7. ^ "ESPN.com: NCF - MSU quarterback Smoker has substance abuse problem". www.espn.com. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  8. ^ "Michigan State reinstates Smoker". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  9. ^ Jeff Smoker, Pro Scout Draft.com
  10. ^ "2004 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  11. ^ Reinhart, Jeffrey. "Smoker signs 3-year deal with the Rams". LancasterOnline. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  12. ^ "Harvard man leads Rams to unlikely comeback win". Deseret News. November 29, 2005. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  13. ^ Young, Jeff. "Eagles sign Smoker to practice squad". LancasterOnline. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  14. ^ "Volek gets start in place of McNair". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  15. ^ "Rams sign backup QB Frerotte". www.patriots.com. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  16. ^ "Bengals trade QB Ragone to Rams for draft pick". ESPN.com. June 20, 2006. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  17. ^ "Jeff Smoker - Kansas City Chiefs - news and analysis, statistics, game logs, depth charts, contracts, injuries". www.nbcsportsedge.com. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  18. ^ Weixlmann, Ben. "Where in the World Is...Jeff Smoker?". Bleacher Report. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  19. ^ Murphy, David. "This is not the football they played growing up". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  20. ^ Slagter, Josh (June 30, 2008). "Former MSU QB Smoker enjoying life in Phoenix". mlive. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  21. ^ "Rattlers sign QB Jones, OL Thomas". OurSports Central. March 13, 2008. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  22. ^ "Arena Football League Folds • USIndoor Sports Association". USIndoor Sports Association. December 5, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  23. ^ "Jeff Smoker QB · 6-3/225 · Manheim, PA · Michigan St". deadfootball.com. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  24. ^ "Jeff Smoker". arenafan.com. Retrieved December 7, 2022.