Heisman humbles Smith

BY RUSTY MILLER
WIRE SERVICE CORRESPONDENT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Moments after receiving the Heisman Trophy, Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith had a few words for youngsters who want to follow in his footsteps.
“ The first thing I would say to little kids is that anything and everything is possible with your dreams if you have humility,” Smith told The Associated Press by phone in the midst of a celebration Saturday night.
Smith became Ohio State’s sixth Heisman winner, and he did it in record fashion. He captured 86.7 percent of the first-place votes and totaled 1,662points. The fifth-year quarter-back easily beat out Arkansas running back Darren McFadden(878) and Notre Dame quarter-back Brady Quinn(782).The margin of victory was the second largest ever, exceed-ed only by O.J. Simpson’s 1,750-point victory in1968.Smith captured the award just two years after he was suspended from the team for two games for accepting $500 from a booster. Three months before his suspension, he was just a backup quarter back with little opportunity to play. Smith said the les-son he learned was perseverance. “Any time you get in a situation where things don’t happen the way you want them to happen, you need to listen to other people and pick goals that you think are reachable,” Smith said. “Then stay at it, loving and understanding and knowing your dreams. Your dreams can get you anywhere you want to go in life.”