ST quarterback enjoying early success

South Terrebonne junior quarterback Trevon Smith is a starting quarterback in a run-oriented offense.

And even he’s the first person to admit that his primary job is to just simply take the snap, read the defense, then hand off or pitch the football to one of the Gators’ many halfbacks.

But if opposing safeties come up and dare him to throw the football, they just might be surprised at what they’ll see – a long pass over their heads and into the hands of an open receiver for a Gators’ touchdown.

That’s exactly the pick your poison approach the Gators have showcased in the early portion of the season as the usually running team has added the ability to chuck it around the field with their first-year starter under center.

“I know we like to run first, and that’s fine,” Smith said. “But I think our whole offense knows that when coach calls those pass plays, we’re going to try our best to execute them and we’re able to hit some big plays with that this year.”

Smith started playing the quarterback position when he was 8-years-old.

“I’ve played as far back as I can remember,” he said. “I’ve always been a quarterback.”

As the youngster progressed through the school system, he has served as the quarterback at Woodlawn Junior High School, before serving as a reserve quarterback and ultimately the starter at South Terrebonne.

And while most youngsters experience nerves and struggle in their first varsity experience, Smith has come out firing, completing 20-of-28 passes for 422 yards and five touchdowns in the Gators’ first three games of the season.

“It’s been a good experience for me,” he said. “I’m a teenager, I’m just 16 years old, so it’s awesome. But I really don’t have too much to say about it. I’m just doing my best to help my team win.”

One of Smith’s leading targets in the passing attack has been senior wingback John Brown, who has hauled in four of those passes and two of Smith’s touchdowns.

Brown, who is more used to rushing the football, said having a weapon like Smith in the offense this year will go a long way in pushing the Gators toward a district championship.

“We trust him,” Brown said. “We know he’s going to make the right decisions and get the football to the right players.”

The push toward offensive balance for the Gators has started since the middle of last season.

With South Terrebonne’s offense mired in a midseason rut, head coach Richard Curlin met with offensive coordinator Steve Barba, and the duo successfully tweaked the Gators’ offense.

And with the change bred success, as the Gators closed 2009 strong and advanced to the playoffs.

So Curlin has stressed since the preseason the importance of keeping the team’s progress moving forward and to keep the South Terrebonne offense more balanced – even with an inexperienced junior, first-year starting quarterback.

Because after all, Smith has played the position his whole life.

“We think he’s capable of making plays back there when we need him to,” the coach said during preseason practices. “He has picked up on what we’re doing pretty quickly, and we think he’s going to be pretty solid.”

Ultimately, the biggest tests have yet to be played for Smith and the Gators, as South Terrebonne has yet to play a district game.

But with stout opponents like Terrebonne, Thibodaux, Central Lafourche, Assumption and South Lafourche still on the horizon, the team’s 20 seniors led by Smith and tight end/linebacker Blake Luke say they know they are in good hands with their junior quarterback steering them toward the playoffs.

“We trying to go 10-0, and make it all the way to state,” Luke said. “Either way, we’re just going to give it all that we’ve got.”

And even though it’s not his last go-round yet, Smith said sending out his seniors on a good note is high on his priority list as the season draws close to its climax.

“I want to send them out right,” he said. “We’re all trying to get to the same spot. The only difference is I’m trying to do it two years in a row.”

South Terrebonne junior quarterback Trevon Smith surveys the field during a skeleton drill at practice. Smith is excelling in his first season as the Gators’ starter. CASEY GISCLAIR