Late bloomer Smith leads way for Bremen

Updated: July 7, 2011 7:42PM

David Smith’s story is a bit out of the ordinary. So is his potential.

The Bremen senior running back didn’t start playing organized football till his freshman year, and the push came from a surprising source.

“My mom said, ‘Go ahead and try it,’” Smith said during Thursday’s gathering of top Chicago-area prospects at U.S. Cellular Field. “I was mainly a track guy.”

He’s still a burner as his 4.38 for the 40-yard dash attests. But that’s not all that’s earned Smith scholarship offers from the likes of Oregon State, Indiana and Michigan State, among others.

“Good size, great speed, good balance,” said CBS College Sports recruiting analyst Tom Lemming. “He’s a big-time guy.”

Indeed, Smith’s life has been a whirlwind of recruiting trips that shows no sign of slowing down soon. He’s already visited Iowa, Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue and Northern Illinois, and has upcoming trips scheduled to Notre Dame and Vanderbilt.

“It was kind of crazy at first, but it’s a good problem to have, I’d say,” Smith said.

The 6-foot, 197-pounder ran 111 times for 928 yards and eight touchdowns last season for the 3-6 Braves and also caught 12 passes for 219 yards and three scores. He figures to be the focal point of the Bremen offense once again, though he’s expecting some help from new quarterback Cedric Clemons, a transfer from Richards.

“(That will) probably get the passing game going a little more,” Smith said.

And Smith is doing what he can to get better, even trying yoga at the suggestion of coach Dan Stell.

“It was tough at first,” Smith said. “(But) he knows what’s best.”

And the exercise have helped with flexibility. “I couldn’t touch my toes at first,” Smith said. “(Now) I can go way past that.”

Though recruiting is on his mind, Smith also is focused on getting the Braves back to the glory days of the not-so-distant past.

“We’ll have a solid team this year,” he said, noting the sophomore team’s 7-2 record last season and the arrival of Clemons among other positive signs.

Bremen qualified for the IHSA playoffs 14 times in 19 seasons from 1988 through 2006, but was 1-8 in Stell’s first season in 2009 before tripling its win total last fall.

“The first year was kind of tough,” Smith said. “As the years go along, we keep improving as a team.”

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